Thomas Andrew Auten, PhD.

SALISBURY, MA - Thomas A. Auten passed away on April 25, 2025             

 He was born on May 21, 1939 to Ralph Wesley Auten and Ruth Virginia (Wood) Auten in Alliance, Ohio.  He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Angela Ann Conty.

The family moved to Donora, PA, in 1942 and moved to Penn Hills, PA, in 1948, narrowly missing the infamous Donora smog.  Tom graduated from Penn Hills HS in 1957 and the University of Pittsburgh in 1961 with a BS in Metallurgical Engineering.  He earned an MS in 1967 and a PhD in 1971, both in Materials Science and Engineering at Case Western University.  Dr. Auten then spent three years as a research associate at Yale University.  After teaching at Iowa State University, he worked at General Electric and the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in Schenectady, NY.  He was an adjunct professor at Union College in Schenectady.

While at Yale he helped prepare specimens of moon rocks from the first moon landing and also their famous meteorite collection.  During his career he published several papers in professional journals.

He served as Chair of the American Society for Materials in the Eastern New York chapter and later the Boston Chapter.  Tom also served as chair of the Materials Division of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Tom enjoyed playing rugby (Chicago, Cleveland, Yale). He helped form a Taekwondo School at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Schenectady, teaching there for 17 years.  He earned the Master Rank or 5th Degree in 1989 and served as a referee in the USTU national tournament, which served as tryouts for in the United States Taekwondo Team at the 1992 Summer Olympics. 

He enjoyed coaching youth hockey and loved music from classical to contemporary.

Since moving to Salisbury in 2007, Tom really enjoyed exploring all the areas beautiful hiking and walking trails and beaches.   Tom's membership in the Newburyport YWCA provided a wonderful place not only to maintain fitness but also to meet new people and make lasting friendships.

In addition to his wife, Angela, he is survived by his beloved daughter, Meredith Haskins of North Naples, FL, and son, Andrew Auten of Shaker Heights, OH, and stepson Jesse Ambrosina of Newburyport as well as his grandchildren, Dallas and Drew Haskins, Eliza, Vivian and Nan Auten, Sophia Ambrosina.

Services will be private. The Twomey, LeBlanc, & Conte Funeral Home 193 High St. Newburyport, MA 01950 is assisting Dr. Auten’s family with his arrangements.

Donations in Tom’s memory can be made to the Schenectady Boys & Girls Club or St. Jude Children's Hospital.

To offer online condolences please visit www.tlcfuneralhome.com

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Thomas Andrew Auten, PhD., please visit our Tree Store.