Gustav Getter ’47

Gustav Getter ’47, of New Rochelle, N.Y.; Oct. 18. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and attended Brown for officer training. He also earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from Polytechnic Institute. Upon return to civil life, he worked as an engineer prior to founding his own firm. His engineering firm­—which through a variety of partners and mergers always bore his name—created internationally recognized and award-winning designs, specifically the Hush House, which continues to be in use by the U.S. Navy and other armed forces in several locations to this date. The Hush House is a building in which a jet can be parked and turned on in order to test it, while keeping the outside quiet and clean from exhaust. Despite selling his firm—Getter, Segner, and Gironda—to Sverdrup Corporation and retiring, he remained available to answer questions from those who continued to seek his advice. He was awarded the Department of the Navy’s Naval Facilities Engineering Command Certificate of Commendation and the American Council of Engineering’s Engineering Excellence Award. He authored chapters on highways, bridges, pavements, and harbor engineering in Civil Engineering Data Book, a standard reference work. Gus sponsored two foster children located in Manila and visited them on multiple occasions. He volunteered with the United Way of Westchester County, was a member of Temple Israel Brotherhood, and enjoyed skiing into his 80s and ballroom dancing with his wife Ruth, who died just three days before he did. He is survived by daughter Elizabeth Getter ’81; son Chip ’76; a son-in-law; and two step-grandchildren.