Glenn Oyler

Dr. Glenn W. Oyler, a retired metallurgical engineer and world traveler died on Dec. 29, 2012 at 89 of cancer, surrounded by his 2 loving daughters at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2006, he moved with his daughter, Sherry to Albuquerque to be close to his other daughter, Terry. After retirement in 1989, Glenn served as a dance host on 42 different cruise ship lines for 20 years. He worked on 305 cruises until heart surgery stopped his cruising in January, 2010. After his retirement from cruising, Glenn enjoyed working out at the Presbyterian HealthPlex, dancing almost weekly at the Bear Canyon Senior Center with his 2 daughters and playing bridge especially with his neighbor, Jerry Gustafson. He was a world traveler and he visited 160 countries. Some countries he visited multiple times such as traveling 38 times to Spain, 62 times to Italy, and 64 times to England and going through the Panama Canal 36 times. As an engineer, he took meticulous notes about his world travels and usually after each trip he wrote a trip report which he shared with friends and family. In the last 2 and ½ years, Glenn visited 9 countries (Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Mexico, Thailand, Laos and Bhutan). Just 2 months ago he was on a 21-day safari in Tanzania. Each evening around the campfire, Glenn would summarize the game seen that day and share these numbers with the group. Glenn was born on a dairy farm in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania in 1923. The family still owns the 4th generation farm. Glenn started his welding career in 1941 as a welder for Fairchild Aircraft Corp. and as a welder in the Army Air Corps (1942 to 1945). He graduated from Penn State University (B.S. degree) in 1949, from University of Pittsburgh (M.S. degree in 1951) and from Lehigh University (Ph.D. degree) in 1953. His Master's thesis was in cold welding of Aluminum and his Ph.D. dissertation was entitled "Sigma Welding of Steel Using Carbon Dioxide Gas". Dr. Oyler and his advisor, Dr. Stout published the first paper in 1953 on this revolutionary process which is widely used in Industry today. In 1963, he received a post-doctoral Certification in Management from the University of Rhode Island.Dr. Oyler worked for the Aluminum Company of America (New Kensington, Pennsylvania) while getting his Master's degree. For the next 7 years, he worked for the Linde Division of Union Carbide in Newark, New Jersey. He received the initial patents on the plasma-arc cutting process and developed the necessary equipment for its commercialization in 1955. He held 6 patents. In 1960, Dr. Oyler became the Chief Welding Engineer of the Nuclear Division of Texas Instruments in Massachusetts and worked with Admiral Rickover on the fabrication of nuclear reactor fuel cores for the Navel Development Nuclear Reactor Program. In 1963, he became the Director of Applied Research in Albuquerque and for ACF Industries, a prime contractor of hardware for the Nuclear Weapon Program of the Nuclear Energy Commission.Dr. Oyler next worked in the Space Program first for Lockheed Corporation (California) and then Martin Marietta Corporation (Colorado). In 1973, he was transferred to the Michoud Plant of Martin Marietta in New Orleans as Chief Welding Engineer for the design, engineering and fabrication of the initial External Tank of the Space Shuttle. He then worked for American Welding Society as Technical Director in Miami and as President of Welding Research Council in New York City. He retired in 1989.In 2009, Dr. Oyler was honored by becoming a Counselor of the American Welding Society in recognition of his "outstanding and distinguished organizational leadership that had enhanced the image and impact of the welding industry". Dr. Oyler also was a Fellow of ASM International, a Fellow in the National Space Society and a Fellow of the British Welding Institute. He received numerous other awards and published many papers and lectured widely about space exploration.Dr. Oyler is survived by his 3 children, Gary G. Oyler (an industrial sales engineer) lives in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife Yvonne, Dr. Terry K. Crowe (Professor in the School of Medicine at the University of New Mexico) lives in Albuquerque with her husband James and Dr. Sherry D. Oyler, a retired chiropractor lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has 3 grandchildren: Christy Hammond of Denver, Colorado; Devan Crowe of Houston, Texas; and Hilary Crowe of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He also has 2 great- grandchildren ( Kaylee and Kaira), daughters of Christy. He is also survived by his brother, Ralph L. Oyler of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Dr. Oyler according to his wishes has been cremated and no memorial services will be held. He wanted others to know that he has lived in good health and lived life to the fullest. He had a wonderful life both professionally and personally. His family remembers him as a kind, gentle man who always had a positive attitude. Glenn would encourage all to travel and experience world adventures. Donations can be made to the Boy Scouts of America or a charity of your choice. The family would enjoy hearing about your memories of Glenn. Please visit the guestbook for Glenn W. Oyler at: