Robert Fisher Alden, 78

Published 5:03 pm Thursday, November 29, 2012

NEW JERSEY, November 29 – Robert Fisher Alden, 78, born October 22, 1934 in Rahway, New Jersey, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 after a lengthy illness. He was a retired commander of the U.S. Navy.

Mr. Alden graduated from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and received his Master's degree in meteorology from The United States Naval Postgraduate School. He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy for 21 years. He was the chief meteorologist on the U.S.S. Coral Sea and the U.S.S. Nimitz. He was chief operations officer of Fleet Numerical Weather Central in Monterey, California.

After retirement from the Navy, he had several careers. He worked for Global Weather Dynamics in Monterey, California; served as director of the Environmental Protection Agency in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; worked on exhibits and collections at the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts as well as maintaining his own business – Alden Fine Handcrafts.

During his lifetime, he visited every continent and many countries. He traveled extensively through Europe several times. He was a model railroad enthusiast, and was co-founder of the High Bridge Railroad Club. Mr. Alden was a devout environmentalist and will be most missed as a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

His family wishes that expressions of condolence are honored through donations to the American Lung Association or the Robert Russa Moton Center for Civil Rights in Education.

Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Marian Weber Alden; three daughters, Nancy Alden Caelen, Jane Alden Bailey and Ellen Alden Chevalley; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and several nephews and nieces.

Arrangements for interment at Arlington National Cemetery are pending.

Doyne-Burger-Davis Funeral Home, Farmville, is in charge of the arrangements.