ROBERT W. LIDDELL JR. passed away June 12, 2009, in La Hacienda at La Posada after a brief illness.

Robert W. Liddell Jr. was born in Pittsburgh on Sept. 11, 1913, the only child of Robert and Jane Elkin Liddell. After graduating from Westinghouse High School in 1931, he attended the University of Pittsburgh and completed an accelerated Bachelors of Science Degree program in Chemistry. After working for several ears at Swindell-Dresler, an engineering firm, and then with Calgon Corp., he returned to Pittsburgh and received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry.

In 1939, he married his childhood sweetheart, Wilma May Heuser, in St. James Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh and they lived happily together until her passing in 1989.

He retired from Calgon in 1975 after working there for 35 years. In 1978, he and Wilma moved to Arizona. After Wilma’s passing, he married Mary Moore Arneson and they had 19 wonderful years together.

He was an avid collector of orchids and was an American Orchid Society judge for many years. His hybridized orchids were recognized through a number of prestigious national awards and he was viewed as a leading authority on orchids. He was the co-founder of both the Pittsburgh and Tucson Orchid Societies.

He was on the board of the Green Valley Water Authority and served as secretary for many years. He enjoyed ballroom dancing, golf, fishing and the church choir. He was a lifetime member of the Episcopal Church.

He is survived by his loving wife Mary; and his three sons and their spouses, Emil (Marian) of Fairmont, W.Va., Cortland (Carolyn) of Mt. Vermont, Wash., and Robert of Pittsburgh.

A family memorial service will be held in the Madera room of La Vista at La Posada, Friday, June 19, at 1:30 p.m. Those wanting to attend are welcome. Memorial contributions may be made to your favorite charity.