Dr. Robert Quinn Macleay, born on September 10, 1926 in Louisiana, raised in Kirkwood, Missouri and Beaumont, California, died on February 24, 2017 from natural causes at his home of 51 years in Severna Park, Maryland. Dr. Macleay received his undergraduate degree and his PhD in physics from the University of Missouri.

Thereafter, he worked for the Naval Ordinance Laboratory on the development of nuclear bombs, and later the Apollo space mission while working at Westinghouse Electronics in Maryland. Dr. Macleay excelled as an educator teaching at Colorado School of Mines, William and Mary College, the United States Naval Academy, Loyola College, and Severna Park High School. His true love was teaching, and he was very enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge of physics to his students. Many former students have remembered him for his dedication, passion, and ability to make physics relevant and fun.

As a child, Bob was a model airplane enthusiast, and an athlete, playing football, track and field, and baseball. He was an accomplished musician on the piano and the trombone, which he played in his high school marching band and in swing bands in the 1940s. While still in high school, Bob acted in an unreleased film, "Fall of the House of Usher", directed by childhood friend and future director of many Hollywood films, Curtis Harrington. Dr. Macleay enjoyed the peace and quiet of sailing the Severn River and the Chesapeake Bay on his boat, Bonte.   He was a lifelong scholar, and spent many summers taking classes in subjects such as computers, French, and music, mainly at the University of Vermont. While in his late 40s he became self-taught on the bassoon, making his own reeds, and even sat in with several area orchestras. Opera continued to be a favorite genre throughout his life.  Over the last 40 years, he built, programmed, and repaired dozens of desktop computers for his personal use and for each member of his family. Dr. Macleay had a terrific sense of humor, mostly dry, but always witty. But most of all, he was a devoted family man. His beloved wife and four children were the apples of his eye.

He is survived by his cherished wife of 66 years, Ruth "Bunny" Graham Macleay, one daughter, Virginia L. Barnett of Ferndale, MD, two sons, Stephen R. Macleay and his wife Nancy of Rapid City, SD and Kenneth G. Macleay and his wife Regina of Severna Park, MD, his brother retired Lieutenant Colonel Lachlan Macleay of Colorado Springs, CO, 2 granddaughters Maggie and Katie Macleay of Annapolis, MD and four grandsons Nicholas, Michael, John, and Antonio Macleay of Severna Park, MD. Dr. Macleay was predeceased by his son, Robert Q. Macleay, Jr.,  his firstborn grandson, Jessie "Jay" Barnett IV, and six siblings.

Family and friends may visit on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 from 3-5 pm and 7-9 pm at Barranco & Sons, P.A. Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park, MD 21146. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, March 2, 2017 at 11 am at the funeral home. Burial at St. Anne's Cemetery in Annapolis will follow. If desired, donations in his memory can be made to The Maryland State Boychoir, 3400 Norman Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21213, or online at http://www.razoo.com/story/Maryland-State-Boychoir .

Online condolences may be made at www.barrancofuneralhome.com