Robert (Rob) William Young of Lawrence, Kansas died on February 5, 2026 after a long battle with cancer. To paraphrase one of his favorites…he has shuffled off his mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. He will be much missed by his family, along with the friends and colleagues he inspired with his intelligence and his lively, often bone dry, sense of humor.
He was born on March 30, 1969 in Dodge City, Kansas to Fredric and Alberta (Timm) Young. He graduated from Dodge City Senior High School in 1987 and graduated from Kansas State University in 1993 with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in electrical engineering. He was a proud member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.
Rob began his engineering career at a start-up in Twinsburg, Ohio, then returned to Kansas to work at the University of Kansas, becoming Director of the Instrumentation Design Laboratory. He designed instruments to support a myriad of research projects at KU, detecting everything from fruit fly sounds to mouse footprints to cosmic ray particles. He held over ten United States patents, and his work took him all over the world, from the South Pole to Greenland.
Rob enjoyed many creative hobbies. He was a talented woodworker and especially loved hand tool work. He shared his talents and knowledge with many, including the members of The Kansas City Woodworkers Guild where he volunteered and taught classes for many years. He was also a skilled photographer and developed his own black and white film in a dark room he built in his home. A master of the instant pot and the grill, Rob loved cooking and appreciated great food and craft beer.
He is survived by his wife Brenda Johnston, his stepdaughter, Lucy (Rory) Brown, and the family cats, The Divine Ms. Whiskers and Jake, all of Lawrence, Kansas; and his sister Elizabeth Young and her son Alexander Tybinkowski, both of Boxford, Massachusetts. He was preceded in death by his parents.
The family wishes to extend thanks to the oncology team at Lawrence Memorial Hospital for their talents, work and dedication. They made Rob’s journey less difficult for him and for Brenda.
Rob’s ashes will be laid in The Pioneer Cemetery on The KU Campus. A memorial service will be planned at a later date. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be sent to The Kansas City Woodworkers Guild, 1717 Washington Kansas City, MO 64108 or a charity of the donor’s choice.
I worked closely with Rob after I first started at KU in 2009, and occasionally in the years since then. I really appreciated working with Rob and enjoyed the conversations we had beyond electronics design. He was always supportive, thoughtful, and fun to interact with. He will be missed.
I was saddened to hear of Rob’s passing. I enjoyed working with Rob when I was Associate Vice Chancellor for Research at KU. He was a talented engineer and a kind person. My deepest condolences to family and friends.
I am deeply saddened to hear about Rob’s passing. He was an exceptional, intelligent, and generous person whose impact on everyone around him was immeasurable. I will always cherish the countless hours we spent solving complex challenges and innovating together in the field of imaging technology, which led to the patents we proudly obtained. His keen insights inspired all of us who had the privilege of collaborating with him.
Rob’s unique perspective and unwavering support encouraged us to think bigger and push the boundaries of what was possible. His legacy will continue to resonate throughout KU and among everyone he touched, reminding us of the power of collaboration and ingenuity. Please know that my thoughts are with you and all who had the privilege of knowing him during this difficult time.
You will be missed, amigito..
Rob was a tremendously skilled and generous engineer. He always made my projects better with the kind of skill and execution that only comes when someone highly intelligent also loves their craft. He approached his work with a passion that I respected and envied. I am deeply saddened to learn of his passing, but I am grateful that I got to know him.
I have been colleagues with Rob at KU since 2009. I always appreciated his skill and thoughtfulness in problem solving. I also would, on occasion, enjoy a beer with him at Free State. I will miss him. My deepest condolences to his family.
The thing I remember most about Robert growing up was his thirst for knowledge and all things electrical/electronic! He always inspired me with his dry sense of humor, and we laughed a lot in class when he was around! What I appreciated most is his sense of adventure and his summers spent in Colorado, climbing Long’s Peak and backpacking! I wish I could have gone on a trip with him! Condolences to his family!
I am so sorry, Brenda. So happy that you found your connection with Rob.
I’m confident that he left this earth a happy man as a result of your presence in his life. Yet, my heart hurts for your loss. May you be held close with grace & comfort forward.
I knew him as a member of The Lawrence Photo Club and, away from the club, as a friend from the IDL and random meetings in the Haworth hallway outside my KU lab. I always enjoyed meeting him and miss him.
Rob was an extraordinary colleague in my lab at KU—someone I knew both professionally and as a friend.
I hired Rob as my Senior Design Engineer, and his skills were unmatched. He earned deep respect among both scientists and engineers not only at KU, but also at places like CERN and across multiple astroparticle physics projects in Antarctica and Greenland. I remain profoundly grateful for his work—his design expertise, his fabrication craftsmanship, and his remarkable vision. (And yes, I’m grateful for how often he made me look good.)
What impressed me just as much as his ability was the way he carried it. Though he was more skilled than his boss in engineering design, he never rubbed that in. When I asked him to complete tasks tied to my projects, he did so promptly—and beautifully. He always worked as part of a team.
His talents extended far beyond electrical engineering. His woodworking, especially his hand craftsmanship, produced pieces I would not have believed possible. In photography, he embraced century-old printing processes, bringing his carefully composed images to life with both artistry and patience.
Rob was exceptional on so many levels: electrical engineer, ice driller, woodworker, photographer. Above all, he was a wonderful colleague and friend.
I worked with Rob when he was at the IDL and I was serving as interim Vice Chancellor for Research. He was a highly valued member of the KU research community for his engineering abilities, but more than that I always found Rob to be an honest and caring human being with a great sense of humor.
I will pray for Bob and all your family,
God Bless you
So sorry, old friend. You have gone to a much better place. Rest peacefully
I was deeply saddened to learn of Rob’s passing. Although I did not have the opportunity to meet or work with him personally, I have read and heard how he was a coworker on the physics technical team. Colleagues shared that they enjoyed their time talking with him and were especially impressed by his enthusiasm and his straightforward, undaunted attitude. He was described as brave and stoic in the way he faced his illness, never hesitating to speak openly about it.
It is clear that Rob was not only a brilliant engineer but also a courageous and inspiring person who made a lasting impact on those around him. My heartfelt condolences to Brenda, Lucy, and the entire family. May his memory continue to inspire all who knew him and knew of his work. May he rest in peace.
Rob became a part of our family because he fell in love with Brenda and Brenda fell in love with him. They made each other happy. Rob is already missed, but I’m glad he is no longer in pain. May he now travel wherever he wants to go.
Rob was a coworker on our physics technical team, making special cable harnesses for the Large Hadron Collider.
I enjoyed my time talking with him and was especially impressed with his enthusiasm and straightforward, undaunted attitude.
He was quite brave and stoic in how he faced his illness. And he didn’t refrain from discussing it.
When we were discussing life, one day, he told me “as long as I can get my chocolate chip cookie, everyday, then I’m a happy guy”
When I asked him what the cookie represented, he said “Nothing! I just really like chocolate chip cookies!”
I think he set me up as the straight man, on that one.
I was very glad to have met him. His work ethic, courage and dedication was and still is inspiring.
Happy journey, Rob. And thankyou for your help.
Rob changed my life as a woodworker — he was the first person to make me feel like a real craftsperson, my favorite person to ask for advice or bother around the shop, and share a laugh over, yes, a bone dry joke. He was so supportive of me, a young woman entering the craft. He gave me several tools and I’ll think of him often when I’m using them. I miss him so much already.