In Memoriam: Conrad Newberry

Conrad Newberry, a professor emeritus who taught in the College of Engineering for more than two decades, died peacefully Jan. 3 with his family by his side. He was 92.

Newberry began teaching aeronautical engineering at Cal Poly Pomona in 1964 and retired in 1989. He served as a mentor to students and professors.

Carl Rathmann, former associate dean and interim dean of the college, recalled fond memories of his friend and colleague. Newberry championed the graduate program in the College of Engineering and established an off-campus master’s degree program in partnership with Northrop Corp.

“He seemed to know everyone in the California aerospace community, and I would frequently call him for contact information,” Rathmann said. “I remember, too, how his quick smile would hide a devotion to strict academic standards that served us well as we were both tasked with leading the graduate program.”

Rathmann recalled a funny incident when he heard that Newberry’s students were never late to class and were always ready as soon as he walked in the classroom.

“In fact, he bragged to me once about that,” Rathmann said. “Only later did I learn from one of his students that the steel cleats he always wore on the heels of his shoes telegraphed his approach about 30 seconds before he entered.”

Former students of Newberry’s who came back to Cal Poly Pomona to teach include Aerospace Engineering Professors Steven K. Dobbs and Ali R. Ahmadi.

“Professor Newberry had a positive approach with all his students and had a sense of humor that did not take himself too seriously,” Dobbs said.

Ahmadi lauded Newberry for his dedication and support.

“Professor Newberry was very personable, pleasant, with a wonderful sense of humor. He was one of the original few professors who helped ‘build’ the aeronautical (later aerospace) engineering department at Cal Poly Pomona,” Ahmadi said. “I do not know anyone who developed new aerospace courses as fast as he did, and he did those countless times. He was my professor and some years later, my colleague, when I came back as a young faculty member to the department, and he was one of the key professors who mentored me in the department. For example, he immediately ramped me up to run the new MS Aeronautics program he had just developed and launched the year before for Northrop Corporation in Los Angeles. He was a gentleman and a scholar, one of a kind. He will be sorely missed by us and many of his former students.” 

Besides teaching, the Kansas native worked for several aircraft companies over roughly 20 years, including Dixon Aircraft, North American Aviation, Lockheed Aircraft Service, Northrop Aircraft and Rockwell International. He also won numerous awards and recognitions for his work in his field, including the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Distinguished Service Award in 2006, the highest honor given to an individual member who makes a mark over a period of years of service to the organization.

Newberry earned a bachelor’s in aeronautical sequence from USC in 1957 and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering in 1971 and education in 1974 from Cal State Los Angeles. He completed his doctoral studies at UCLA.

The avid sports fan, lover of jazz, bridge player and family man is survived by his wife of almost 66 years, Sally; his son Conrad F. Newberry, Jr. (Gloria); his daughter Susan L. Miller (Ken); and his grandson Nicholas E. Miller. He was preceded in death by his parents Audra and Ragan Newbery; his brother, James W. Newberry; and his youngest son, Thomas E. Newberry. In lieu of flowers, make contributions to The Parkinson’s Foundation or Christian Church of Pacific Grove.