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<p><em>Robert Alfred “Bud” Langworthy</em> passed peacefully in Pinehurst, NC on August 31, 2021 surrounded by his loving family after a long and well-lived life. Bud is interred at the Union Cemetery, Hyde Park, NY, in the VanDeWater family plot.</p>
<p>Born in Long Beach, CA, October 1932, he was the son of the late Robert E. Langworthy and Marian L. Capen. Bud graduated from Rosemead High School, class of 1950, where he was class president of the first graduating class and captain of the tennis team. He enlisted in the Army in August 1952 after two years of community college education and full-time work with the local natural gas company. He then received a congressional appointment while in basic training and transferred to the West Point Prep School at Stewart Field, NY. After graduating from West Point with honors, Bud went on to serve in the U.S. Army. After three years of courtship, Bud married Ms. Nancy Betts VanDeWater in June 1957 in the West Point Cadet Chapel on the day after graduation. They were blessed with four loving sons as the family was transferred throughout the United States.</p>
<p>Bud completed the Army’s basic course and attended Fixed-Wing Flight School, where he obtained his Rotary Wing qualification, which prepared him for duty as a light, fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter pilot. After serving a year in Korea flying for the 1st Cavalry Division, Bud continued his education at the University of Texas-Austin, where he earned his master’s degree in aerospace engineering. Upon entering the graduate program, Bud was asked if he was interested in theory or building, and he was quick to choose building. His thesis was the design and development of a supersonic wind tunnel temperature probe that was adopted and used by both NASA and DARPA. Bud returned to West Point in 1963 to the Department of Mechanics to teach thermo and fluids. From 1966 to 1967, he served in the Headquarters 12th Combat Aviation Group flying UH1 helicopters in Vietnam. He next became a member of the Aviation Materiel Laboratories at Fort Eustis, VA before resigning his commission in 1968 with the rank of major. During his active-duty career, Bud earned the National Defense Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Senior Army Aviator Badge, and Air Medal with “V” device and 13 oak leaf clusters.</p>
<p>After resigning his commission, Bud continued to work at the Aviation Materiel Laboratories as a Department of Defense civil servant. During that time, he was the Army’s technical representative for compressors for advanced development, source selection and engineering development of the GE T700 engine, which ultimately became the engine used in today’s Blackhawk helicopter. In 1981, Bud moved to Headquarters, DARCOM, leading the Army’s resource allocation for research and development. Upon retiring in 1988, Bud and Nancy moved to Ormond Beach, FL to enjoy golf and traveling to visit family and friends. Almost every year after retirement, Bud and Nancy would pack the car, including his golf clubs, and travel the United States from coast to coast visiting family and friends, and often make new friends to visit on the trip to be taken the next year. Their trips would typically take six to seven months, and they would stay with most friends for a few days, and with family for up to a month to spoil the grandchildren and help out their sons and daughters-in-law with whatever needed fixing around the house. Bud and Nancy also hosted many travelers in their home in Florida, named the Langworthy Inn, to catch up on recent events, enjoy a hearty meal around the dining room table, and play a round of golf. In 2018, they relocated to Pinehurst to be closer to family and became members of the Pinehurst Country Club.</p>
<p>Playing golf with family and friends was Bud’s favorite pastime, something he did less than a week before passing. He also had many other interests, such as playing the piano, organ, guitar, and sousaphone (even marching in the Rose Bowl parade and helping tune the Cadet Chapel organ). He enjoyed singing and was a member of the church choir and a barbershop quartet while in Virginia. When the pastor was away, Bud would provide Sunday’s message; when the organist was away, he would play the church organ. He loved to build things and was an avid woodworker, making bookcases, shelving, and fixing anything that broke around the house. At one point in the 1970s he took an electronics repair class and built a color television, using it as an opportunity to teach his sons about electronic component building and testing. If Bud was interested in something, he was able to study, learn and master it.</p>
<p>Bud is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Nancy. He was the father of Bob Langworthy, wife Barbara; Peter Langworthy, wife Sylvia; Don Langworthy, wife Nancy; and Steve Langworthy, wife Melinda. He was the brother of Sally Gerlinger, Lori Scinta and Roy Langworthy. Bud is also survived by his 12 grandchildren: Andrew, Margaret, Krystle, Cameron, Amanda, Callie, Erin, Anna, Amanda, Matthew, Chris, and Chase; and his 14 great-grandchildren.</p>
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