Robert Beardsley

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of Scientist Emeritus, Robert “Bob” Beardsley, on December 16, 2025, at his home in Falmouth surrounded by his family. He suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. He was 83.

Bob was born in Jacksonville, Florida, the third child of a teacher and a Naval officer. He grew up and lived in various locations around the United States. As an infant, he was rescued from a house fire by a nanny.

He attended MIT as an undergraduate. While at MIT, he met Susan Keller, a Wellesley student, on a blind date. They married in 1966 and went on to have two daughters. Bob stayed at MIT to study physical oceanography, earning a PhD in 1968, and became an associate professor.

In 1975, Bob and his young family moved to Falmouth, and he began his career at WHOI. Over nearly 30 years, he made significant contributions to coastal oceanography, including observational and modeling studies of currents and the impact of physical ocean processes on ecosystems. He was recognized for mentoring junior scientists. Among many accomplishments, Bob championed cross-disciplinary research in Antarctica; participated in a US-China scientific exchange in the early 1980s; and helped develop new models to predict onshore flooding in coastal communities. He was distinguished by being elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Meteorological Society (AMS), and the American Geophysical Union (AGU); and also served as Chairman of the Department of Physical Oceanography and was awarded the Walter A. and Hope Noyes Smith Chair for Excellence in Research. He retired from WHOI in 2004 and continued to be engaged in oceanography, advising colleagues and contributing to papers.

“Papa” is remembered for his kindness and sense of humor; his unflagging support for his family; his brilliant mind; generous smiles and hugs; and deep love for ice cream and chocolate chips. In addition to boating, Bob enjoyed sports, playing basketball, softball, and soccer, and skiing, at times in his life, and was a lifelong runner.  He played baritone in the Falmouth Town Band for many years and never stopped enjoying listening to concerts there and elsewhere. He relished adventure, such as climbing in the Tetons with his sister Irene or kayaking around the Elizabeth Islands with his WHOI buddies.  His family recalls how he could take a nap anywhere, anytime, and for the practical jokes he played over the years.

Most of all, he found joy in helping friends and family and particularly enjoyed woodworking and house projects. He collaborated with his wife, Sue, a Falmouth artist, often building wooden frames for her stained glass and other works. His ideal day would be to do some work, go for a run with his beloved dog, and create with Sue in the workshop.

He leaves his wife, Sue Beardsley of Falmouth, daughters Elizabeth Beardsley of Falmouth and Jean Beardsley Baumflek of Mashpee, and four grandchildren in Falmouth and Mashpee (Tsuf Baumflek, Keshet Baumflek, Tehva Baumflek, and Jack Beardsley).

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 2 p.m. at the Clark Building, 5th Floor, on the WHOI Quissett Campus.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Family Support Center (AFSC), WHOI, or the Falmouth Service Center.

Information for this obituary is from Bob’s family

Tribute Wall

From Olivier Marchal…..
There are a number of scientists at WHOI who have been, and are, a great source of inspiration. Bob Beardsley was one of them. Over the course of my career, I have come across a number of his scientific contributions and have realized the incredible span and depth of his knowledge and expertise. It seems to me that Bob “has done everything” – field work, theoretical development, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling – all this with this rare combination of authority and originality. I have interacted with Bob only once, as part of my effort to extend a numerical study on horizontal convection which he carried out in the early 1970s with J. Festa when both of them were affiliated with the MIT. I was what you could call “a young scientist” when these interactions occurred. Bob was kind enough to come to my office, answer my questions, and even contact the MIT library to get a copy of J. Festa’s master thesis that contains the details I was looking for. I will remember Bob for his kindness and for his outstanding scientific persona.