Robert Frederick Elfant

Dr Robert Frederick (“Bob”) Elfant passed away peacefully at home in Sequim, WA, on
April 15, 2026. He was 90.
Bob was born March 12,1936 in the Bronx, NY and grew up in Dallas, TX. He received
his B.S. from Southern Methodist University in 1957, M.S. from New York University
(NYU) while working at Bell Labs in 1959 and Ph.D. from Purdue University in 1961, all
in Electrical Engineering.  He met Cecile Rayblatt in 1957, and they married the next
year.  While at NYU they had a son, Michael, and daughter, Natalie, while he was at
Purdue.
Bob started at IBM in 1961 as an engineer in Yorktown Heights, NY and later
Poughkeepsie, NY, where he went into Engineering Management. In 1967, he won the
IEEE Young Outstanding Engineer award, and in 1968, he won the Purdue
Distinguished Engineering Alumni award. In later years, Bob was on the Dean’s
Advisory Board at Purdue and UCSD. He also served on the Malcolm Baldrige National
Quality Award Committee.
He left IBM after 19 years and went into executive roles at several high-tech companies,
including Unisys, Intel, and Western Digital. He and Cecile moved to different states
every few years as he advanced in his career. Bob and Cecile retired to Austin, TX and
lived there until Cecile passed in 2012. Bob then moved to Sequim to be near his
daughter Natalie and her husband, Jerry.

Bob enjoyed travelling to all 50 states and about 40 countries. His hobbies included
photography, wood turning, swimming and working out at the gym.
From his first marriage, Bob leaves behind his son Michael and his wife Poppy and their
child Jaz, as well as his daughter Natalie and her husband Jerry. He was also close to
his nephews Bruce and Don and their partners Lisa and Kat.
Bob met his second wife, Wende Ang, in 2015 and they finally tied the knot in 2025. He
leaves behind Wende, her daughter Jennifer and partner Andrew, and grandchildren
Maisie, Rosie and Lexi, who all live in Scotland.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Bob’s memory to the
Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County or to Goodwill Olympics & Rainier Region.
If you wish to leave a message of condolence or share a favorite memory of Bob,
please visit his online tribute page at Legacy.com.
Linde-Price Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
www.lindefuneralservice.com

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