Graves, served as administrator for both University and the GSB

Robert L. Graves, Deputy Dean for the Faculty in the University’s Graduate School of Business from 1972 to 1973 and from 1975 to 1985, and a Professor of Applied Mathematics in the GSB, died Tuesday, March 2. He was 77.

Graves joined the faculty in 1958, and he was a vital member of both the Graduate School of Business and the broader University community up to and beyond his retirement in 1995.

He served as Associate Provost for the University from 1985 to 1990, and Associate Dean for the Ph.D. program at the Graduate School of Business.

“Bob was a talented and dedicated administrator, admired researcher and, perhaps more importantly, a valued and beloved colleague,” said John Huizinga, Deputy Dean of Faculty in the GSB and the Walter David “Bud” Fackler Professor of Economics in the GSB. “He was a great role model for how a faculty member, an administrator and a person should conduct themselves,” Huizinga said.

Graves’ academic interests focused on mathematical programming, including programming over infinite horizons, scheduling problems and bidding models. While teaching and conducting research, he also served as a consultant to IBM. Earlier in his career he held supervisory positions at Standard Oil Co. (Indiana) in engineering, engineering research and operations research.

In 1973, he took a two-year leave of absence from the University to become director of the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management, in Brussels.

Graves was the author of many academic papers, including “An Auction Method for Course Registration” (1993) with L. Schrage and J. Sankaran, published in Interfaces. He co-authored two books, Functional Analysis in Economics (1972) with L. Telser and International Operations Simulation (1964) with H. Thorelli.

Born in Chicago, Graves graduated from Hyde Park High School. He received an A.B. in mathematics from Oberlin College in 1947, an A.M. in mathematics from Harvard University in 1948, and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Harvard University in 1952.

He was a member of the vestry and taught church school at the Church of Saint John the Evangelist (Episcopal) in Flossmoor, Ill., and served on the Flossmoor Library Board. He was chairman of the Episcopal Church Council at the University from 1979 to 1981.

Graves is survived by his wife of 52 years, Barbara, of Flossmoor; four daughters, Susan, Julia, Christine and Virginia; two grandchildren, Emily and Scott Warren; and a sister, Anne Gahn.

A memorial service and visitation was held Saturday, March 13, in Flossmoor. Memorial contributions may be made to the Episcopal Church Council of the University of Chicago, 5540 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago, IL 60637, or to the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, 3860 Long Lake Road, Traverse City, MI 49684.