Birth date: May 22, 1919 Death date: Jun 11, 2013
FAYETTEVILLE - Dr. Cecil O. Cogburn, 94, died on Tuesday, June 11, at the Willard Walker Hospice Home. He was born in Caddo Gap, Arkansas on May 22, 1919 to Harrison Cogburn and Ora Ledbetter Cogburn, and was their only surviving Read Obituary
Dr. Cogburn was the best professor I had at the U of A. I took Machine Design I and II under him and the design principles he emphasized in those courses were used throughout my career. I kept the Shigley Machine Design book and referred to it many times. Dr. Cogburn was strict but fair. I always enjoyed visiting with him at the AAME Annual meetings.Foye PennTulsa, OK BSME 1963
The zen of Cecil Cogburn.On one occasion I witnessed a conversation in Cecil's office: a student was begging for a chance to retake a midterm exam in one of Cecil's classes. Eventually, Cecil agreed. Not content with that, the student asked, "Will the questions change?" Quick as a flash, the answer came: "No, but the answers will."The student left with a dazed expression, but I feel sure that eventually he must have attained enlightenment.
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
My deceased husband of 22 years, Jean Paul Prideaux, worked under Cecil Cogburn in the M.E. Department in the early 1960s. He was such a fine man, with modesty and wisdom. It was an honor to know him.
I was at Arkansas during the Tom Jefferson era and am starting to run out of professors for whom I had great respect and admiration. Dr. Cogburn was one of those. He was also the sharpest and most professional dresser on the faculty at the time - tweed jackets with (yes) leather elbow patches and neat, well knotted ties. I took only one of his classes while at Arkansas - Steam Power Plants, required but not high on my scale of interest at the time. It was a small class, I sat near the front and on many days would unfortunately drift off to sleep. Dr. Cogburn gave me the grade I well deserved and perhaps didn't even earn - C - only one of two or three that I received while a student there. He left for a sabbatical in England shortly thereafter, something to do with nuclear power.Later in my career I wished I had stayed awake in his class and paid more attention to what he was trying to teach me. It turns out that my last employer was a major equipment supplier to, you guessed it, steam power plants.I had the good fortune to see and speak with Dr. Cogburn at the Engineering Awards Banquet a few years back, the first time I had seen him since my graduation. I recognized him immediately - same sharp dresser, same professional bearing and, if my memory serves me well, he looked just the same as he did in that class long ago.He is on my short list of teachers who made a big difference in my life and career. I am very grateful I had the chance to know him.James Robert NorwoodBSME 1964
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My bachelors work centered around Drs. Cogburn, Wolfe, and Cole. I'd heard that Dr. Cogburn's course was the hardest, and noone one got an "A" in his class; so I took the challenge. It was the first week of classes that I wondered why I'd take such a dumb challenge ... 3 classes a week, 1-2 hrs per class to transcribe every word out of his mouth and everything he wrote down, and 1 hour each for each of the 3 problems he'd assign after each class; that's 18 hours a week including the class time! Dare someone complain, he'd get (not me) "Oh, you have other classes? Why would take other classes when you elect to take one of mine?!" I learned a discipline during that class that I've used in my career, and I found him to be a fair and just man that expected only what it took to learn the subject...basically all of a student's "free" time. So I decided that if all it took was time, I had plenty of that (then, that is). And the final, 3 hour final, 1 question. It followed a lump of coal from Wyoming by our having to decide how to mine it, transport it, design the plant, the steam boilers, the superheaters, to determining the "quality" of steam on the turbine's 2nd stage take off. I had learned enough from all my transcriptions and problem solving as well as much of his face time as I could get that I felt ready for his exam, though I must admit, it looked daunting. A grad student did make a "C" in his class that semester; so I was hesitant to look at the course grades listed on his door. I had to check mine 3 times! It was an "A". The only "A" that semester; the only "A" in that course in at least the previous 3 years! I couldn't believe it; noone could; jaws dropped! I questioned him about it, and he said "I gave you what you deserved". I knew then that I had chosen the right discipline and the right profession, i.e., a discipline that was based on laws of nature and (at least the potential of) being judged on one's accomplishments. And I found that to be basically true in my career. Dr. Cogburn asked me to stay on, he said he'd make sure I got a scholarship and a stipend. I was able to tell Dr. Cogburn at an AR Acad of Mechanical Engineering meeting some of the above story; I told him and all the members that I considered that "A" one of the most prestigous of the awards I've received in my career; I'm glad I got to thank him for helping me to adopt his expectation of excellence. To my grave, I will always cherish that "A", what I leaned in its pursuit, and will always remember Dr. Cecil Cogburn.Don R. Edwards, P.E., class of '76
Bartlesville, Oklahoma
During my lean and learned years, in the late '50's, professer Cogburn (before his PhD)was, to me, the rock and right of the M.E. Department. He was strict, straighforward always there with a positive response to let you know the proper procedures and the correct approach engineering wise. He was a wise man and leaves a great legacy. I'm proud to have been associated with him and hope that I pleased him in his knowing he helped mold me in the engineering profession.
I first met Cecil Cogburn during his NSF fellowship at Imperial College, London, in 1969. Ten years later he contacted me to offer the opportunity to join him in his research at the University of Arkansas, which I did in 1980, accompanied by my wife Mary and daughter Emma. We spent a busy sabbatical year, researching, teaching, hiking and floating in the Ozarks and also driving through about 44 states.Cecil's research work at that time included a pioneering study of reactor pressure vessel cavity dosimetry at the two Arkansas Nuclear One reactors. This work was funded initially by Arkansas Power and Light, and subsequently by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). We presented results at several International Symposia on Reactor Dosimetry. This groundbreaking work helped to establish new methods for assuring the safety of light water reactor pressure vessels, and is now recognized worldwide as a landmark in the nuclear power industry.Subsequently, in 1983, Mary and Emma and John returned to Fayetteville as permanent residents of the United States. Thirty years later we are still in the US, though no longer in Arkansas. Thus Cecil profoundly changed our lives, as we know he did for many others.As new immigrants we needed plenty of help and guidance, and received it in full measure from Cecil and Kathryn Cogburn, as well as from others in Fayetteville, notably Helmut and Jane Wolf.Cecil was for all of us the epitome of what we came to admire as the American spirit of enterprise, independence and self reliance. As new immigrants, we could not have found a better mentor and role model. He was a most charming and gentlemanly host.Larger than life as everyone knew Cecil to be, he was nevertheless self-deprecating and modest. Notwithstanding his serious mission to support engineering education in Arkansas, and nuclear engineering in particular, Cecil was invariably amusing company. His occasional brashness was always good humored, and somehow seemed like an entertaining act. We will always remember our wonderful friend, Cecil Cogburn, with great affection and gratitude.Our condolences to the many others who share our loss, particularly Carol Cogburn.John, Mary and Emma Williams
I worked under Dr. Cogburn for four years during the mid 1980's and it was the best job I ever had. I will always remember his generosity and good humor. I'll always be grateful for the many things he did for my career.
Dr. Cogburn was a kind, dear friend. He loved life, learning, teaching, and enjoying a meal with friends.We shall truly miss him.Stan, Jan, Amanda, and Jarod Apple
