Lou Rombach, age 95, of Wilmington, DE, passed away peacefully from natural causes on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 in Christiana Hospital while under the care of Seasons Hospice. Lou was born on Easter Sunday in 1926 in Cincinnati, OH to the late Charles and Matilda (Lauck) Rombach. He was the youngest of five brothers and two sisters.
Our dad attended Elder High School and Xavier University before entering WWII where he proudly served in the United States Navy in the North Atlantic. He was a plank member on CV32, the USS Leyte. After the war he returned to his studies, graduating from Xavier with a Bachelors and Masters degree in Organic Chemistry and completed his PhD at the University of Cincinnati.
Dad married his best friend and our Mom, Ann Marie O’Brien, in 1951 and moved to Delaware in 1953 to work for the DuPont Company as a research chemist in the Polychemical Department located in the Experimental Station. While working for DuPont as a chemist, Dad continued his studies, completing his law degree from Temple University in 1964. He was admitted to the bar in Delaware, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Courts, and worked in the legal department at DuPont in Intellectual Properties. Dad was instrumental in establishing many important patents for DuPont. His work took him across the U.S as well as Europe and Asia. He maintained his memberships in the American Chemical Society, the American Institute of Chemists, and the British Royal Society of Chemistry. He retired in 1991 after 38 years.
Dad was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather and felt the best when spending time with family. He was a devout Roman Catholic, and a member of St. Mary Magdalen Church since 1959. His Catholic religion was a very important part of his life. Ann and Lou prayed daily for peace and love throughout the world and attended mass daily after retirement. Dad spent over thirty years actively involved in the Malvern Retreat House, attending the Our Lady’s Group every year in June. Dad’s retirement did not slow him down. He took up jogging, winning his age group in several 5K’s. He enjoyed tennis, bowling, gardening, trees and travel. He would often enjoy bowling after church on Sundays at Fairfax Lanes when it was 50 cents a game! Together with Mom, they raised their five children in Delaware. He was active in his neighborhood civic association, presiding as president at times. He was an avid alumni and follower of Xavier basketball, organizing the local Mid Atlantic Alumni chapter. He continued to root for the Cincinnati Reds and the Bengals as well.
Dad is survived by his wife of 70 years, Ann Marie O’Brien Rombach, five children, Louis J. Rombach (Ellen), Linda M. Clark (Steve), Stephen E. Rombach (Karen), Charles M. Rombach (Meredith), and Thomas A. Rombach (Amanda). He was very proud of his eleven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He led a blessed life driven by his faith, hard work and determination, and his family. He was truly a part of the greatest generation and will be sorely missed.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Mary Magdalen Parish or The Malvern Retreat House in Dad’s name.
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