William H. (Bill) Engelleitner, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and lifelong learner, passed away on September 29th, 2026, at the age of 95.
He was born in Gross-Gerau, in the German state of Hesse on February 16th, 1931.
He lived a remarkable life shaped by curiosity, discovery, music, family, and a passion for learning.
As a young man growing up in Germany during the difficult years surrounding World War I, his curiosity about the world beyond Germany grew through his experiences helping translate for American Gls. Those encounters introduced him to American culture and sparked a lifelong fascination with America, its people, and its music. In particular, he developed a deep love of American jazz—a passion that would remain with him throughout his life.
He studied Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University at Darmstadt and later studied Business Management at Penn State University. His education opened the door to opportunities in the United States, and in the mid-1950s he immigrated to America, beginning a professional and personal journey that would span decades.
He became a pioneer in agglomeration, specializing in pelletizing and the processing of fine materials (size enlargement by agglomeration). Over a distinguished career with Dravo, Ferro-Tech, Mars Mineral, and Teledyne Readco, he developed patented technologies and became a respected authority in his field. He later shared his expertise internationally as an educator, consultant (AME Pittsburgh), author, and professional leader, serving on industry boards and teaching engineers from around the world.
He was also an avid collector. His love of jazz led him to collect the autographs of prominent musicians on whatever was available-from newspaper clippings and hotel stationery to club cards, envelopes, and cocktail napkins. His collection eventually grew to nearly 200 musicians and was later preserved at the Jazzinstitut Darmstadt.
He and his beloved wife, Marilyn, loved to travel the world together, experiencing different cultures, places, foods, music, and people. Their life together was filled with adventure and discovery. Marilyn preceded him in death in 2003.
For his family, his greatest legacy was the life he shared with them. He was an exceptional grandfather to Chad, Casie, and Robert Jr., sharing with them his love of languages, music, movies, games, food, and learning. He was especially known for his love of cooking and his traditional Christmas Eve soup. Each year, he created a different soup, kept the recipe secret, and never repeated one. He kept his recipes for decades, turning the annual surprise into a cherished family tradition.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents, Heinrich and Susana (Daum) Engelleitner, his brother, Walter, his children, Norman, Rebecca “Becky,” and Robert Sr., his daughter, Wanda and husband, David Grove, his grandchildren, Chad, Casie, and Robert Jr. and members of his extended family in Germany, including his cousin, Brigitte, her husband, Wolfgang Junk, and their son, Dennis, and his family, maintaining the family’s connection to Gross-Gerau.
William H. “Bill” Engelleitner leaves behind a legacy of knowledge, curiosity, music, family, and discovery. His work advanced the field of agglomeration technology, his teaching shared that knowledge with professionals around the world, and his love of jazz became part of a collection preserved at the Jazzinstitut Darmstadt.
He will be remembered above all by his family for the life he shared with them-the stories, the music, the meals, the travels, the traditions, and the countless ways he made learning and discovering the world an adventure.
A memorial service honoring his memory will be held on Saturday, October 17th at 1 p.m. at the Church of the Redeemed of Beaver Valley, 4301 Dutch Ridge Road, Beaver (St. Barnabas Building).
Arrangements have been entrusted to Simpson Funeral and Cremation Services, 1119 Washington Avenue, Monaca.
To leave an online condolence, please visit www.simpsonfuneralhome.com.
