Winston Currie Boteler

Georgia Tech Professor Emeritus, loving father, loyal friend, brilliant inventor, beloved teacher, world traveler, lifelong booklover, New York Times crossword puzzler, Hasher, storyteller extraordinaire and a Hell of an Engineer, Winston Currie Boteler, 95, of Decatur passed away late Thanksgiving night with family by his side after a long life lived with gusto and smiling curiosity. Winston was born January 20th, 1921 in Washington, DC to Jeannette Froneberger and John Wesley Boteler. Raised in Cedartown, Georgia by his stalwart maternal grandmother, Emma Whitesides Froneberger, he loved reading and roaming the woods collecting arrowheads and snakes.
He graduated in 1937 at age 16 from Cedartown High School and began his life of adventure with a train ride to New York City without a cent in his pocket. Ditch digging and dog walking for the stars paid the bills while he studied at the City College of New York and rose to the rank of Sergeant in the ROTC. Despite his best efforts to enlist for WWII, he was classified 4F because of bad eyesight. Devastated, he leapt at the chance to train as a War Service Mechanic at Casey Jones School of Aeronautics in New Jersey. He rebuilt thousands of military airplane engines during the war – first in Rome, New York then at Hickam Field in Honolulu. To the day he died he could describe the detailed inner workings of every type of engine he ever worked on.
After the war he returned home, starting college at Jacksonville State University before transferring to Georgia Tech’s Co-op program in 1948. He earned his Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering in 1952 but was hooked on inventing so stayed on at the Georgia Tech Engineering Experiment Station now GTRI. While earning his Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, he worked his way up to be Director of the Electromechanical Division in a few short years. His signature inventions during that time were vestibular stimulators no one was prouder of inventing a way to make people motion sick instantaneously constructed for the military for use in pilot and astronaut training and, for the Navy, remotely operated underwater vehicles with side looking sonar for mine sweeping. Of his many accolades, one of his proudest was being named an “Honorary Minesweeper Man”. Some think this classified work was the beginning of a career as a secret agent … he never told.
His adventurous spirit led to a post with USAID on a project to set up an Engineering School at Kabul University, which he accepted in 1964. He packed up his family and ventured through Europe and Asia for 2 exciting years in Afghanistan long before most Americans had heard of the country. He traveled with students around Afghanistan, chased ibex in the Hindu Kush, and drove his family on trips over the Khyber Pass to Peshawar and even to Delhi. After two years in the wilds of central Asia, Winston returned to the Textile Engineering department at Georgia Tech and subsequently became a full Professor where he taught, consulted and continued to invent until his retirement in 1985. He didn’t rest on his laurels but launched into engineering consulting which took him around the world, finally deciding at age 75 to retire and travel the world some more.
One lasting benefit of his many years at Georgia Tech, in addition to knowing the best fight song, was belated fitness inspired by Tech’s innovative PEACH program which started him
running in his late 50s. He ran countless road races, including many years of the Peachtree Road
Race and enough Hashes to become the famous Dr. Doubleknit. To celebrate his 80th birthday
he climbed 13, 500 ft. Mt. Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo with his daughter. He ran and ran until
his last Peachtree at age 90 but continued exercising several times weekly until a few days before
he died.
Winston’s effervescent personality, sweet winning ways and joie de vivre turned chance
encounters into lifelong friendships spanning four continents. Of the many countries he visited
he loved Thailand best. For the last 20 years of his life, he lived half the year in Chiang Mai
returning from his last trip just 6 months ago.
Winston is mourned by his children, Kevin Cheryl and Diane Bill Miller who co-chair his
mutual adoration society, 3 grandchildren Carrie Dungan Spencer, Mary Mullen and Currie,
nieces and nephews, and many dear friends, especially Napa Sae Kou, Linda and Ken Rosskopf,
Lyn and George Plaza and so many more. His wife Christine and sister Jeannette Hester
preceded him in death. Though his brilliant mind and love of learning were striking, Winston
will be most remembered for his kindness and infectious laughter. He inspired us all as he
embodied the “life well lived.” Now we say ON-ON Dr. D.
The family plans to establish a Georgia Tech scholarship in Winston’s name. In lieu of flowers,
donations may be sent “In memory of Winston C Boteler” payable to the Georgia Tech
Foundation Inc, 760 Spring Street NW, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30308. A celebration of his life
is planned for January 21, 2017 at 1 pm in the Gordy Room at Georgia Tech’s Wardlaw Center.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.csog.com.