Richard "Dick" Tobin, 91, of San Jose, CA, passed away peacefully in his home with his wife of 62 years and his daughter Sheila by his side on February 1, 2023. He was surrounded by his wife, three daughters and two of his grandchildren throughout his last day on earth.

Dick was born on July 6, 1931, to Leonard and Margaret Tobin in Mitchell, South Dakota. Growing up in Mitchell, he was surrounded by family and a multitude of cousins, but most importantly his beloved brother, John and favorite cousin, Bill. The stories from their youth, lovingly retold with embellished Tobin flare at every reunion, depicted a bucolic setting from a time when young boys had the freedom to run, explore, and get into mischief (and sometimes trouble) with complete abandon. After graduating from Notre Dame High School, he went on to study aeronautical engineering at St. Louis University, a private Jesuit university, in St. Louis, Missouri. After graduation from college, Richard began a highly successful career as an Aerospace Engineer working for Rocketdyne, Martin Marietta, McDonald Douglas, Lockheed, and finally Chemical Systems Division of United Technologies from which he retired. Of note, during his long aerospace career, was his significant contribution to the Apollo Space Program that resulted in man walking on the moon in 1969 and his key engineering management role in the development of the Space Shuttle. Over the course of his career, he received many awards and accolades for his contributions to the field of aerospace engineering.

On New Year’s Eve of 1959 he met his beautiful bride-to-be, Kathleen Killingsworth Tobin and enchanted her with his artful Tobin storytelling talent…a story of being a captain in the Ethiopian Camel Corp. They wed eight months later on August 6, 1960. Their long distance courtship included many weekends filled with dancing (they loved to dance) and many long distance phones calls. Richard continued to refer to Kathleen as his beautiful bride throughout their life together. They went on to have four children, Maureen Tobin, Michael Tobin, Sheila Tobin and Tricia (Sean) Kobayashi, four grandchildren, Bridget Tobin, Ryan (Susete) Krage, Lauren (Dillon) Katz and Autumn Kobayashi, and one great-grandson, Finn Machado Krage. Richard loved his children and grandchildren and was particularly taken with the most recent addition to the family, his great-grandson Finn.

It would be remiss not to mention Richard’s artistic ability. He was truly an artist disguised as an engineer. He sketched and painted throughout his life. In his early retirement he painted frequently, including painting portraits of each of his grandchildren with handwritten notes lovingly inscribed on the back. Many of his paintings hang on the walls of his San Jose home for all to enjoy and admire.

Dick was predeceased by his parents Leonard and Margaret, his son Michael,  his brother John (Marie) Tobin and his cousin Bill (Ruth) Tobin. He is survived by his wife Kathleen, his sister, Peggy (Jim) Valleau, his three daughters, four grandchildren and one great grandson.

There will be a funeral mass on Saturday, March 4, 2023 @ 11:00am at St. Julie’s Catholic Church in San Jose.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Catholic Charities of Santa Clara Valley in Richard Tobin’s name.

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