TRIBUTE TO A TRUE PROFESSIONAL

By Marty Baker and Al Lesnewich

Howard Bradford Cary passed away on November 10, 2001, in Tipp City, Ohio, at the age of 81. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, on May 24, 1920. It would be impossible to sum up the life of Howard Cary in just a few words. He was dedicated to his work, his family, and his activities in life. Howard was also a great supporter of welded art.

His devotion to the welding industry began at the Fisher Body Division of General Motors Corporation as a young man who had just completed his formal education at The Ohio State University. At that time, OSU did not offer a degree in "welding engineering", so Howard obtained a mechanical engineering degree instead. He was a registered professional engineer in the State of Ohio.

During World War II, he was called to active duty and served in the U.S. Navy in the Western Pacific. When he returned in 1946, he began development work on the gas shielded metal arc welding process at Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio. In 1948, Howard was offered a position as a Welding Engineer at the Marion Power Shovel Company where he spent the next ten years moving through the ranks and became Assistant General Works Manager.

Hobart Brothers Company recognized his talent and in 1958, he moved to Troy, Ohio, and spent the next 30 years of his career making numerous contributions to the welding industry. He served the company as Vice President of Welding Systems, supervising welding engineering applications and development. He also accepted the responsibility of simultaneously acting as President of Hobart Institute of Welding Technology.

He saw a need for robotics in welding applications and moved the company into advanced welding systems development. He was instrumental in merging the two technologies and two companies forming a partnership between Hobart and Yaskawa Electric Company. Later, this became the separate company of Motoman, Inc.

Serving as Senior Advisor of Special Projects and later as Consultant, Howard continued his work. He was national president of the American Welding Society in 1980-81 after spending virtually his entire career serving on various AWS Committees and chairing local sections including the Columbus, Ohio Section. He also served as an AWS Director-at-Large. He was the recipient of many awards including the A.F. Davies Silver Medal, the National Meritorious Certificate, the Samuel Wylie Miller Memorial Medal, the Plummer Memorial Educational Lecture and Award, and the National Safety Council Award.

He served on the Board of Directors of Edison Welding Institute and worked in the international arena as a U.S. Delegate for Commission XIV of the International Institute of Welding. Howard was an active member of The Ohio State University Alumni Association.

Howard was also a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASM International, the Welding Institute of Canada, the French Society of Welding Engineers, the German Welding Society, the Japan Welding Society, and others.

As if all this wasn't enough to keep one man challenged, Howard shared his knowledge by presenting technical talks throughout the United States and in Canada, Europe, Australia, Mexico, South Africa, and South America. He held five patents and authored over 100 technical articles and two books including Modern Welding Technology and Arc Welding Automation. In fact, Howard completed the fifth edition of Modern Welding Technology just a few months before his death.

Pastor Dr. Richard B. Culp of the First Presbyterian Church in Troy, Ohio, where a memorial service was held on November 16, 2001, said, "Right now, Howard is probably writing a book about how to use welding for a new creation in heaven!"

His wife, Harriet Harmony Cary, one son, Robert Bradford Cary, one daughter, Janet Elizabeth Laabs and son-in-law Dennis Laabs survive Howard. Four grandchildren and two brothers, Lowell and David, also survive him.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 20 South Walnut St., Troy, OH 45373; or to The Troy Foundation, 910 West Main Street, Troy, OH 45373; or to the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology c/o Howard B. Cary Scholarship Fund, 400 Trade Square East, Troy, OH 45373.