Robert Peringer

Robert Vernon Peringer, born February 28, 1936, passed away March 26, 2014.  Bob was born in Virginia and raised in Kentucky, was the Valedictorian of his 1954 class at Ashland High School, and a member of the Debate Club and DeMolay.  He was an engineering honors graduate in 1958 from Iowa State University in Mechanical Engineering.  He served as a 1st  Lt. in the Army Reserves.  Bob received a Masters Degree from Cornell University in Mechanical Engineering and taught at Ironton College in Ohio.  He then went to work as a hydraulics engineer for Sunstrand in Rockford, IL before working for North American Rockwell in Los Angeles.  Because of his love of computers Bob followed up his Mechanical Engineering education with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California.  He became an independent Contractor in hydraulics engineering and related computer hardware design. Bob loved historic car restoration, and was a member of the Southern California Kaiser-Frazer Club before becoming president of the Corvair Club of Orange County.  He served as a speaker at western regional club conferences on the development of historic automobile engineering designs.  He was also active in the local political activities of Orange County and served as president of the United We Stand Party in Orange, California. Bob’s favorite social activity was square dancing and he was an active member of several square dance clubs in Orange, California.  Bob moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 2013 to be near his sister, and passed away there, March 26, 2014.  He is survived by his sister, Irene (Joe) Atkinson, his niece, Dr. Andrea Atkinson, and nephews, Thomas and Robert Atkinson, and several cousins.  Visitation with the family will be at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, April 1, 2014 at Portage United Church of Christ; followed by the memorial service at 3:00 pm. Interment will follow at Hope Cemetery, Texas Township, Kalamazoo County. Arrangements by Redmond Funeral Home, 4100 S. Westnedge Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49008 (269) 343-6156. www.redmondfuneralhomes.net