Rear Admiral Robert Francis Jortberg

Rear Admiral Robert Francis Jortberg, age 90, of the Civil Engineer Corps US Navy, passed away on Friday, July 8, 2016.
Jortberg was born in Portland, Maine on 2 February, 1926, the son of Charles A. Jortberg Jr. and Adelaide Mahoney Jortberg. He graduated from the US Naval Academy, Annapolis Maryland with the class of 1948 and subsequently served in USS Robert H. McCard, DD822. After completing a graduate course at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute he transferred to the Navy Civil Engineer Corps. He received a Master of Science in Industrial Management degree from Rensselaer in 1958 and attended the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School in 1969.
He served as the Public Works Officer and Resident Officer in Charge of Construction at the Naval Academy and created the position of Deputy for Management. He served as Officer in Charge of Construction for the Department of Defense construction program in Viet Nam in 1972 and as Commanding Officer of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Western Division. His last assignment was as Director, Shores Facilities Programming Division on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. His personal decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Bronze Star Medal. Admiral Jortberg retired on 1 June, 1979. In 2003 he received the Navy Superior Public Service Award for service on a panel appointed by the Secretary of the Navy to recommend actions to improve Department of the Navy facilities management.
Subsequent to his retirement he joined The Lummus Company in Bloomfield, NJ, serving in a series of executive positions. In June 1988 he joined the staff of the Construction Industry Institute, a construction industry research organization hosted by the University of Texas at Austin serving as Associate Director until his retirement in 1998. The University established the Robert F. Jortberg Endowed Graduate Fellowship in Engineering in 1992 in his honor. He was a founding member of the National Academy of Construction.
Admiral Jortberg also served as a consultant to the construction industry. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Civil Engineer Corps/SEABEE Historical Foundation.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Kathleen Jortberg, his daughter Anna Velasco, and great-grandson Aaron Monroy. He is survived by his son, Robert Francis Jr. and daughter, Christina Harwell of Weatherford, TX; eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. He and his family have resided in Sparta since 1979.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 13, from 2-4 and 7-9pm at the Goble Funeral Home (22 Main St, Sparta). A Funeral Mass will be held Thursday, July 14, at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas of Aquin Church (53 Kennedy Ave, Ogdensburg). His internment will take place in Annapolis, Maryland. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org.