Corrected and updated March 23, 2020
Longtime resident, engineer, outdoorsman
Rob Hult. (Courtesy photo)
Robert Olaf Hult, 50, a longtime resident of Houghton Lane in Harvard, died peacefully Sunday, March 1, 2020. Born in Troy, New York, on Feb.13, 1970, Rob was the eldest child of Bob and Paula (Tarasiewicz) Hult.
Rob spent the first half of his childhood in Geneva, Switzerland, gaining an appreciation for the outdoors as he explored the Alps with his family. In 1983, the Hult family moved to Harvard, and Rob found a wonderful group of childhood friends. They shared a passion for mechanics and the challenge of repairing their off-road jeeps. After graduating from the Bromfield School in 1988, Rob went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering with a minor in French at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. For Rob, it was a homecoming to study at his place of birth and the alma mater of his father. Later in life, he earned a master’s degree in business administration from Babson College.
Throughout his career Rob was hardworking and loved building machines, most recently as a principal mechanical engineer at Inspectrology in Sudbury. Frequently seen around the Harvard trails with his loyal dog Chief by his side, Rob was an avid cyclist, trail runner, skier, snowmobile enthusiast, and patient coach. He was devoted to his family and friends, whom he never ceased to inspire and amuse with his ingenuity and sense of humor. With support from his loved ones, Rob fought a two-and-a-half year battle with an aggressive brain tumor, adapting his approach to continue leading an outdoor lifestyle every step of the way.
He is survived by his parents, Bob and Paula Hult of Poor Farm Road, his sister Jessica and husband Christopher Fish of Lancaster, his sister Melissa and husband Peter Sparks of Bolton, his brother Peter Hult of Portland, Maine, as well as his nieces and nephews Anders, Hanna, Erik, and Elsa Fish, and Chloe and Tucker Sparks.
A memorial service and reception will be held at a later date at the First Church of Christ, Unitarian, Lancaster. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, https://www.stjude.org/give.html.
Editor's note: This article has been corrected and updated. The original article stated that a memorial service would be held Saturday, March 28. That service was cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.
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