ATHENS - Dr. Robert F. Rakowski, 66, of Athens,
died unexpectedly late Tuesday evening, Feb. 19, 2008, at
O'Bleness Memorial Hospital.
Born Oct. 8, 1941, in Rahway, N.J., he was the son of the late
Frank and Helen Mackowicki Rakowski. He was a professor of
biological science in the College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio
University. He also formerly served as chairman of the
department. A graduate of Linden High School in New Jersey, he
received B.S. and masters degrees in chemical engineering from
Cornell University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of
Rochester and completed two two-year post-doctorates, at Yale
and Cambridge Universities.
Dr. Rakowski had taught at Washington University Medical School
in St. Louis, Mo., and Rosalind Franklin Medical School in
Chicago, Ill. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran serving from
1964-68.
Dr. Rakowski is survived by his wife, Linda; three daughters,
Emily (Bernard) Audette of Gilbertsville, Mass., Jennifer
Rakowski and her companion, Diane Sands, of Oakland, Calif., and
Cara Rakowski (Michael) Hobbs of Rockville, Md.; four
grandchildren, Megan and Jeffrey Audette, and Elena and Victoria
Rakowski Sands; and a sister, Jean Ann (John) Holzenthaler of El
Paso, Texas.
