Robert K. Dimmitt

Robert K. Dimmitt, 89, of West Hartford, passed away on Tuesday, February 1, 2012. He was the husband of Peggy (Margaret E. Bewick) Dimmitt for 59 years. Bob was born on September 14, 1922 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a son of the late Ralph and Marion (Kerr) Dimmitt. After growing up in Toronto, Canada, Bob attended the University of Michigan, where he graduated with a B. S. in Chemical Engineering and was President of his fraternity, Delta Upsilon. After graduation, he received his Professional Engineering Certification and started a long engineering career of over 50 years focused on plastics and their application in packaging. He began his career at Monsanto Co. where he spent 25 years in a variety of engineering and management positions. He was a member of the Monsanto team that developed the first plastic soda bottle. With his expertise in plastic bottling, he joined ExCello Corporation as Manager of Research and Development in the Pure Pak Machine and Carton Division and later, Continental Group as Associate Director of Research and Development and Engineering for the Plastic Beverage Bottle Division. He later held key engineering and operating positions at EcoScience Corporation, Springborn Group and Sonolite Plastics Corporation. In the later portion of his career, he was Executive Vice President of MGA, Inc., where he consulted to a wide range of U.S. and global companies on technical, business and research and development strategies. In addition to work, Bob loved woodworking and restoring antiques and continually demonstrated an uncanny ability to fix almost anything put in front of him. An accomplished artist, photographer and draftsman, Bob was also was an avid skier and sailor in the early part of his life. Most of all, Bob loved being around his family. In addition to his wife, Peggy, he leaves a daughter, E. Anne (Dimmitt) Hayes and her husband, Randall, of West Hartford and two sons, Robert Bewick Dimmitt and his wife Elizabeth of New Rochelle, N.Y. and William Frederick Dimmitt of Northampton, MA. In addition, he leaves six grandchildren, Deirdre Dimmitt Wittkamper and her husband Myles of Savannah, GA, Christopher Hayes and Brooke Hayes of West Hartford, Matthew Dimmitt of New York City, N.Y. and Hannah and Sarah Dimmitt of Northampton, MA. Bob also leaves a sister, Joan Lewis Whittington of Chevy Chase, MD and a cousin, Walter McCabe of Bethesda, MD. He also leaves 11 nieces and nephews. He and Peggy were members of St. John's Episcopal Church.
The family is having a private funeral service and internment. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 1 Union St., Suite 301, Robbinsville, NJ 08691 (online at http://www.heart.org) or a charity of your choice. For online condolences, please visit www.taylorandmodeen.com.