Robert Jay Salm, 73, of Dartmouth passed away peacefully in his home on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. Bob was born on November 15, 1948 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He was the oldest of four children of John Salm and Katherine (Porter) Vorel.
Bob grew up and attended high school outside Chicago in Downers Grove before attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he completed a Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering.
He began a career in nuclear energy which took him to Lynchburg, Virginia, and then Germany, where he met his wife Marion (Piller) Salm. They were married in 1976 and spent ten years living in Germany. In 1987, he undertook the adventure of a lifetime and sailed with Marion, and daughter Kristine, across the Atlantic back to the U.S. aboard Karina, their home at sea and one of Bob’s great lifelong passions.
After two decades back in Lynchburg, an international assignment beckoned again and Bob and Marion relocated to Rauma, Finland in 2011, and then later to Taishan, China in 2015. They enjoyed traveling throughout Europe and Asia before returning to the U.S. in 2016 and settling in Massachusetts.
Upon retirement, and for most of his 40+ year career, Bob was regarded internationally as a top expert on nuclear safety. His experiences included being flown-in to advise on Three Mile Island in the wake of the reactor meltdown in1979, consulting with the U.S. Department of Defense on a proposed missile defense system in the early 1980s, known as “Star Wars”, presenting routinely before the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Washington D.C., finding innovative ways to deal with nuclear waste in the far east of Russia, and helping license one of the safest and most environmentally-conscious reactors in the world, at Olkiluoto in Finland. He was even approached to relocate to Fukushima, Japan following the earthquake and subsequent nuclear disaster, but politely declined.
Bob will be remembered for his wisdom and vast technical understanding. He enthusiastically applied his engineering expertise and analytical mind to his interests like sailing, motorcycles, photography, music and astronomy – even to everyday household projects. He never stopped learning and loved to use his knowledge to help others, always with patience and kindness.
He is survived by his wife, Marion, and daughter, Kristine.
A private memorial service for close family is planned for a later date. Arrangements were by the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.