Charles Robert AKA Bob/Dewey Dauwalter

Charles Robert Dauwalter (91) AKA Bob / Dewey of Needham MA and a 60 year resident of Newton, passed away suddenly on Friday October 25, 2024. Dewey was the son and only child of Alfred Charles Dauwalter and Helen (Crews) Dauwalter both of Missouri.

He was predeceased by his beloved wife Hope in 2020 after 62 years of marriage. He leaves behind his daughter Robin Harmon and her husband Tom of Princeton, MA., and his son Eric Dauwalter and his husband Ed Ferrell of Washington Depot, CT. and his sister-in-law Judy Duguid of Yarmouth Port, MA.

Dewey was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama and came to Massachusetts in 1951 to attend MIT. He received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from MIT. While at MIT he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and started his life long passions of tennis, skiing, and sailing.

Upon graduation, Dewey took a job in Downey, CA where he worked as an Aircraft Structures Analysis Analyst. He then served on US Army active duty as an Automotive Maintenance and Repair officer, where one of his highlights was to drive a M-48 tank.

In 1957, Dewey joined The MIT Instrumentation lab, (now known as Draper Laboratory) where he worked for 37 years in many capacities. Dewey worked on many important projects over the years including: Guidance systems for first Apollo mission, Trident, Polaris and Poseidon missiles, as well other mechanical devices such as gyroscopes, accelerometers and components of inertial guidance systems used in intercontinental missiles and submarine rescue vehicles. He also worked on several patented bio medical devices such as the GDS blood viscosity device. Another notable project involved magnetic levitation train technology. While at Draper he was a member of the patent committee for 10 years. After taking an early retirement in 1993, Dewey joined Milli Sensor Systems and Actuators, Inc and worked there into his seventies. Over the years, Dewey received several patents and published several papers.

Dewey was a senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and served as an editor and chief graphic artist for several editions of the AIAA Aerospace Design Design Engineers Guide - one of AIAA's best selling books.

While working at MIT / Draper Labs in 1958, Dewey joined Richard C. Maclaurin Masonic Lodge. He served as Past Master for 5 years and then Treasurer for 40 years. He served 2 years as District Deputy Grand Master the personal representative to his district of the Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts. Recently he was an active member of the Dalhousie Lodge until his death.

Throughout his life Dewey especially enjoyed spending time with his wife, his children and their spouses, He especially enjoyed traveling with them as well as visiting his children’s homes where he loved to help them with various projects.

Dewey was an avid tennis player, skier, gardener, sailor, and bike rider. In his younger years, Dewey was known to play tennis twice daily during the good weather months. He was a season pass holder at Loon mountain until his mid seventies. He enjoyed sailing his 25 foot Catalina sailboat on Lake Winnipesaukee near his vacation home that he and his family enjoyed for over 40 years. He often rode his bicycle to work to train for the Pan Mass Challenge, an annual 192 mile ride to raise money for the Jimmy Fund. He rode the full PMC trip for 25 consecutive years until age 75.

Recently, he enjoyed caring for his raised bed gardens at his independent living facility where he shared the produce with other residents. He was often asked and took great pride in being able to repair things for his fellow residents as well as helping them any way they needed.

In lieu of flowers donations in his name can be made to Newton Wellesley Hospital 

2014 Washington St Newton MA 02462 or the Pan-Mass Challenge, 77 Fourth Avenue, Needham, MA 02494. Online donations can be made to www.pmc.org.

Checks can be made out to “PMC” and addressed as: in Memory of Charles Dauwalter.

Visiting hours will be in the Eaton Funeral Home 1351 Highland Ave Needham on Thurs from 3-6 PM. A Masonic Ritual by Dalhousie Lodge AF & AM will be held at 6 PM.

Interment will be private.

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