Thomas R. Robillard, 77, of Naperville, IL, died Monday, Feb. 16, 2004, at his home. He was born April 16, 1926 in Duluth, MN and came to Naperville from Reading, PA. After high school, he worked for Lockheed in California on the assembly of P-38 aircraft and shortly thereafter joined the U.S. Navy. Mr. Robillard served aboard the USS Midway aircraft carrier working on radar and communications systems. He received an engineering degree from the University of Minnesota. He earned an MS Degree with Phi Beta Kappa honors from the University of Illinois. After graduating he worked on the first atomic pile with Enrico Fermi. The work was started at the University of Chicago and then moved to Argonne National Laboratories, where he was involved in atomic energy research. From there he went to work for Bell Labs for over 40 years, retiring in 1986 as a Department Head. During his years at Bell Labs he was involved in many communications projects including the Telstar satellite, invention of the transistor, and speaker phones. Mr. Robillard was a member of the Naperville Evening Kiwanis Club, where he had been a distinguished past president, recipient of the Hixson Award, and was Kiwanian of the Year several times. Projects he was actively involved in included the Key Clubs in District #204, DuPage Children’s Museum’s What’s Inside, Civil War presentations at District #203 elementary schools, Loaves & Fishes, and Meals on Wheels. He is survived by four sons, Thomas (Patricia) Robillard of Mt. Prospect, IL, Stephen (Laura) Robillard of Aurora, IL, James P. Robillard of Holland, MI and Michael L. Robillard of Naperville, IL; a sister Gertrude (Frank) Tarnowski of Duluth, MN; three granddaughters, Katherine, Christine and Jacqueline Robillard. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his wife, Joyce K., nee Shay, Robillard in 1996. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2004 at 12:30 p.m. at the St. Raphael Catholic Church, 1215 Modaff Rd., Naperville, IL. Interment Assumption Cemetery, Wheaton, IL. Visitation will be held on Friday, Feb. 20, 2004 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the BeidelmanKunsch Funeral Home, 516 S. Washington, Naperville. Memorials to the Naperville Evening Kiwanis Club or the charity of donor’s choice. Info, 630-355-0264 . www.beidelmankunschfh.com
