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Robert  D. Bent, Professor Emeritus of Physics at Indiana University-Bloomington, was born December 22, 1928, in  Cambridge, Massachusetts,  to Henry E. Bent and Florence [Demo] Bent. When he was 8 years of age, he moved with his family to Columbia, Missouri, where he attended the University Lab School through high school.   He received the AB in Physics in 1950 from Oberlin College, and the Ph.D.in physics from Rice University in 1954.  After three post -doctoral years at Columbia University, he came to Indiana University-Bloomington to join the Physics Department to teach and do research in nuclear physics. Soon he joined a new research venture, helping develop the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility, where much of his physics research took place.  He was a Fellow of the American Physical Society, Sigma Xi, and was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1962-63, working in Oxford, England.   After many years of teaching  he became interested in the area of  energy use, sustainability,  and the environment, and developed courses in that area.  After 38 years, he retired from the Physics Department and the Cyclotron, but continued to teach an environmental physics course. During this time, he also taught a course in energy/environment at the Collins Living and Learning Center at Indiana University. Working in the IU Institute for Advanced Study, he facilitated a faculty seminar on energy, the environment, and sustainability, which resulted in the publication of ENERGY, SCIENCE, POLICY, AND THE PURSUIT OF SUSTAINABILIT Y (Island Press). His publications in the field of physics include more than 60 articles in physics journals.    He was appointed to the Sustainability Commission of the City of Bloomington when it was first created, and continued his interest in that area all the rest of his life.

Life in Bloomington afforded many opportunities for participation in two of his passions – music and tennis.  A cellist from childhood, he enjoyed playing in string quartets, small ensembles, and orchestras.  He played in both the first and the fortieth concert seasons of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, and kept up his playing until a few months before his death.  He had an uncommonly sophisticated taste in music, enjoyed listening as well as playing, and always had an astute and interesting opinion on what he heard.  His beloved cello teacher, Elizabeth Mulchy, who is 103 years old, survives him. 

Another lifelong activity was the game of tennis. He played on his high school and Oberlin College Varsity teams.  Largely self-taught, he learned the game playing with his brother, a cousin, and neighborhood friends.  He and his many friends enjoyed tournaments and social tennis in Bloomington for decades, and many deep and lasting friendships were formed on the courts.  

During his early college years, his family and a few close family friends built a beautiful log cabin in the north woods of Minnesota.  Using no power tools, they did everything in the traditional Scandinavian log-building style, resulting in a vacation home that has been used by the family for more than 60 years.  This beautiful place was a place of joy and renewal for him and all his family.  This adventure is recorded in THE CABIN BOOK, which he created from letters, pictures, family memoirs, and with the help of his brother and other family members. 

For several years, Bob was a Trustee of the International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation, and was a member of its Research Committee.  The Foundation is devoted to education and research into the causes and treatment of that disease, and, for Bob, it was a source of encouragement, enlightenment, and friendship from staff, trustees, and members

Bob is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary (Keating) Bent, daughter Lisa Scott and her husband Perry Scott of Indianapolis; sons Jason and Alan, and their wives Erica Duke and Amanda, of Anchorage and Fairbanks Alaska.  Six grandchildren brought joy and pleasure to his life:  Aaron Scott, Brian Scott, Jack Henry Bent, Lucca Duke, Alice Bent and Aster Bent.  He is also survived by brother Henry A. Bent and his wife, Anne; by a niece, Elizabeth Bent Weberg and husband Rolf, by many other nieces and nephews, cousins and relatives-in- law, and by many friends and colleagues.

A Memorial Service will be held later this spring at the Unitarian Universalist church, of which Bob was a member.

Allen Funeral Home 4155 South Old Highway 37 is handling the arrangements and online condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenfuneralhome.org.