Robert MacDonald

Robert L. MacDonald, age 91, of Newtown Square, formerly of Wayne, PA, passed away peacefully on December 10, 2019.

Born in Philadelphia, PA, he was the son of the late C. Holmes and Helen Dorothy (nee Williams) MacDonald, and brother of the late Edward H MacDonald.

Robert was a graduate of Upper Darby High School, Class of 1946. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics, from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Class of 1950. He then went on to receive his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Indiana University. Robert did two years of PhD studies at The Wharton Graduate School, University of Pennsylvania. He also served his country honorably in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.

Robert had an extensive career in college administration. His last two positions, which he held jointly, were Deputy Vice Dean of the Wharton Undergraduate Division and Director of Wharton Evening School, University of Pennsylvania. He also served as Director of Placement, at Penn. Three other positions which he enjoyed, were Director of the Wharton Executive Programs, Wharton Philadelphia National Bank Program, and Lecturer in the Management Department, Undergraduate and MBA Divisions of The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He was quite proud that he came from a Penn family, as his father, brother, daughter, and niece all attended the University of Pennsylvania.

He also held notable appointed offices which included President of the AUEC, Region IV; Editorial Vice President of College Placement Council; President of Middle Atlantic Placement Officers Association; and Chairman of the University of Pennsylvania Administrative Assembly.

Robert was an avid tennis player who played into his 70’s, and a regular attendee of the Philadelphia Orchestra with his wife Carolyn. They enjoyed traveling extensively both nationally and abroad. Every summer Robert took the family to Woods Hole on Cape Cod, which was the their favorite vacation spot. After retirement, Bob adopted Martins Dam Swim Club in Wayne as his summer office, and Wayne Public Library as his winter office.

Robert's wife Carolyn W. (nee Whitfield) MacDonald; and children Leslie Dundon (Craig) and Beth MacDonald, PhD (John Collier) will miss him greatly.

Celebration of Life Service to be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Delaware Valley Chapter, 30 S. 17th Street, #800, Philadelphia, PA 19103; NationalMSSociety.org, would be appreciated.

Robert L. MacDonald

-Deputy Vice Dean of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
-40+ years of service to the U. Penn Wharton School Administration and Faculty.
-Great Grandfather Henry Williams won the Congressional Medal of Honor in peacetime for repairing the rudder of the USS Constitution in a storm, on February 13, 1879.  Medal awarded 1884, and resides in Philadelphia Maritime Museum.
-The Congressional Medal of Honor, Names and Deeds authors Sharp and Dunnigan
-Full merit scholarship to University of Pennsylvania  Upper Darby News, June 20,1946
-Worked summers at Spruce Point Inn, Boothbay Harbor, Maine for additional funds needed for college
-Began attending The Philadelphia Orchestra as a student in 1947. Student tickets required all 6'4” of him to stand for the entire concert. He certainly loved the Orchestra.
-Full merit scholarship to Indiana University for his Master’s degree in Business Administration
-Faculty scholarship to University of Pennsylvania for doctoral studies
-Family vacations to Woods Hole, MA included a tour inside and out of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's original underwater submersible submarine Alvin. Daughters were not allowed to touch buttons and knobs, unfortunately
-In Robert's Entrepreneurship class at Wharton/ U. Penn, Philadelphia restaurateur Ellen Yin of Fork developed the restaurant idea as her senior project
-Multiple Board of Director and consultant positions including: Pittsburgh Post Office; Central Chemical Corporation, Hagerstown MD; Relm Wireless/ BK Technologies Inc. are a few examples