M. Carl Drott Jr.

The family of M. Carl Drott Jr. (“Carl”) is deeply saddened to announce that he died, peacefully at home, on May 6. A longtime resident of Swarthmore, Carl was a dedicated teacher and researcher. He was 78.

Carl was born in Milwaukee to the late Milton Carl and Barbara (née Joy) Drott, and was raised in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He obtained both his bachelor’s degree, and his doctorate in industrial and operations engineering, from the University of Michigan. He taught for almost 50 years at Drexel University, from which he received the Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1979.

Carl was known to his students as someone with a driving passion for teaching  who loved to help them both acquire knowledge and question assumptions. He was also an influential researcher who incorporated his own best ideas into his courses, inspiring his students to pursue their own research. And he always had a knack for coming up with funny jokes and incorporating them into his class material, helping his students remember the content and enjoy the learning process.

Carl is survived by his wife of 38 years, Eva Maria Thury; his son Jeffry Drott and Jeffry’s partner, Stefanie Trautvetter, of Nashville, Tennessee; his son Brian Drott and Brian’s wife, Malahn, née Lasseter, of Spring Green, Wisconsin; and his son Milton “Mickey” Thury Drott and Mickey’s partner, Samantha Dresen, of Madison, Wisconsin. 

He is also survived by his sister, Jane Johnson (Ed); his sister-in-law, Lynn Drott, née Schroeder; and his uncle, Bruce Arden (Peggy). In addition, he leaves behind his cousins, Terry Schlinkmann (Judy, née Weidman); John W. Drott, Jr. (Patty, née Kongslien); Christina Huck, née Lambrecht (Mike); Donna Usnick, née Drott (John); Diane Steuernagel, née Lambrecht; Laura Hopkins Heigl (John); Michelle Arden (Allen Aiken); and Wayne Arden.

He was preceded in death by his beloved brother, Marty, and by his aunt, Patty Arden (née Joy).