Timothy Taylor Maxwell
May 20, 1949 – August 21, 2020
Timothy Taylor Maxwell, 71, Retired Professor of Mechanical Engineering, passed away in Panama City Beach, Florida on 8/21/2020. Tim was born on May 20, 1949 in Calvary, Georgia and grew up enjoying life on the family farm. He attended Cairo High School where he was found to be a very gifted student. It was there that he met his future wife, Susan Worthy. They were married on April 20, 1970 – for 50 years.
Tim’s education included a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Auburn University. He worked as an Engineer for Sperry Flight Systems in Phoenix, Arizona for one year. In 1974 Tim was invited by the world renown Professor D. Brian Spalding to go to London to study and was awarded a full scholarship to the Imperial College of Science and Technology. He completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College in 1977. Tim then joined the faculty at Auburn University as Assistant Professor.
In 1984 Tim was offered a position on the faculty of Texas Tech University (TTU) in Lubbock, Texas where he remained for thirty years enjoying his career of teaching and research in Combustion, Fluid flow, Heat and Mass Transfer, Computational Fluid Dynamics and Alternative Energy. He made many outstanding contributions in his field. He especially enjoyed mentoring students in the Alternative Fuels Automotive Competitions for TTU where his teams captured many coveted awards. Tim was a longtime member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Tim’s career provided opportunities for extensive travel which he very much enjoyed; including destinations in the U.S., Canada, Europe, UK, Turkey, China and India.
Tim was a devout Christian and was affiliated with several different churches throughout his lifetime. He loved family and friends, work, reading, a good debate and Ford Mustangs.
He is survived by his wife, Susan; his three children, Wendy Maxwell Bullock (Bill), Robin Maxwell Sittré and Timothy Taylor Maxwell, Jr. (Mary Helen); five grandchildren, Lawson Maxwell Sittré, Wilson Thomas Bullock, Lowell Taylor Sittré, Everett Maxwell Bullock and Susannah Elizabeth Sittré; his sister, Sue Maxwell Graef and brother, John Walter Maxwell. Brother-in-law, Walter Britt Worthy, Jr. (Karen); Sisters-in-law, Mary Beth Kirkland (Doug) and Carol Worthy.
Tim was preceded in death by his parents Leon Osborne Maxwell, Jr. and Elizabeth Taylor Maxwell and brother, Leon Osborne Maxwell, III.
Private graveside funeral services will be in the Piedmont Cemetery, Calvary, GA. Chaplain Conrad Meadows will officiate.
