Robert James Plemmons

December 18, 1938 - February 6, 2026Dec 18, 1938 - Feb 6, 2026

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United StatesWinston-Salem, NC

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Computational Mathematician

Robert James Plemmons, a distinguished American mathematician renowned for his pioneering work in computational mathematics, passed away peacefully at his home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on February 6, 2026, at the age of 87. His death followed a long and courageous battle with cancer. Plemmons was an Emeritus Z. Smith Reynolds Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Wake Forest University, leaving an indelible mark on his field through extensive research, mentorship, and numerous publications.

Born on December 18, 1938, in Old Fort, North Carolina, Robert Plemmons demonstrated exceptional talent early in life, excelling as a star athlete in both baseball and football. He attended Wake Forest University on a full baseball scholarship, where he set several pitching records and was named the WFU ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1960-61. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics in 1961, he pursued a brief professional baseball career with the Baltimore Orioles' minor league clubs before dedicating himself fully to academia. He earned his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Auburn University in 1965.

Dr. Plemmons' illustrious career included research positions at Martin Marietta and the National Security Agency, followed by academic appointments at the University of Mississippi and the University of Tennessee Knoxville. In 1981, he joined North Carolina State University, where he founded the University of North Carolina System's Center for Research in Scientific Computation. He returned to his alma mater, Wake Forest University, in 1990, where he held the prestigious Z. Smith Reynolds Chair. He was recognized as a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) for his significant contributions.

Throughout his career, Plemmons authored more than 250 articles and books, including the influential 1979 work "Nonnegative Matrices in the Mathematical Sciences." His research focused on applying computational mathematics to problems in image and signal processing, optics, and photonics, with much of his work supported by the U.S. Department of Defense for over four decades. He also testified before U.S. Congressional Committees on basic research priorities. Even after retiring from teaching in 2013, he remained an active researcher at Wake Forest, contributing to projects on remote sensing and collaborating with scientists globally.

Beyond his academic achievements, Robert Plemmons was known for his humble demeanor, collaborative spirit, and devotion to his family. He cherished his dogs and enjoyed gardening, fishing, running, weightlifting, and birding. A passionate fan of Wake Forest Athletics, he actively supported the university's sports programs. His kindness, generosity, and profound impact on the mathematical community, his students, and colleagues will be deeply missed. A celebration of his life is planned for June 13th at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem.

Memorial created on February 7, 2026. Last updated on February 15, 2026.

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Nicolas Gillis6d ago

Dear Mary Jo and all the family, Please accept my deepest condolences during this difficult time. I am grateful for the warmth and kindness you showed me back in 2009, when I came to visit Bob as a PhD student and you welcomed me as if I were part of the family. I have such fond memories of my time at Wake Forest. Bob has had a profound impact on my career. In particular, he introduced me to the use of nonnegative matrix factorization for hyperspectral imaging — a topic I have continued working on ever since. His curiosity, generosity, and enthusiasm for research inspired me. The first picture was taken at a conference on hyperspectral imaging in Lisbon in 2011. Another vivid memory is my very first day in the U.S., when you took me with Bob and your granddaughter to the flea market — a real American experience (second picture). I will always remember Bob not only as a brilliant scientist, but as a kind and welcoming person who shaped my path. With my deepest sympathy and gratitude, Nicolas

Tony ChanFeb 14

I had known Bob probably for 50 years, starting when I was a PhD student at Stanford. He is one of the nicest person I have ever met - never imposing and always asking how he can help you! Our research interest overlapped a bit - both in linear algebra and its applications. For him, it includes a more foundational theory for non-negative matrices (his book on the topic remains a classic). We are both interested in applying modern computational techniques to imaging in astronomy and we wrote several papers together, a few with Curt Vogel. Being an outdoor and sports person myself, Bob had been my role model. He was more than a decade older than me, but on our hikes (in Bozeman, HK etc) I was the one who had to catch up to him! And he gave up major league baseball for math!! Not many people can say that! I had the privilege of having met part of his immediate family - Marylou is so full of southern hospitality and grace. I still recall spending a weekend in their mountain retreat near Asheville and they were showing their family history, proudly. I learned a lot about that part of the US from him. Bob, it had been a true pleasure and privilege to have known you, and to have learned from you both professionally and personally. You have lived a full life and left your in deletable legacy. Your friends and colleagues are very proud of you!!

Sudhakar PrasadFeb 13

Dear Mary Jo, Arti and I send our most sincere condolences to you, Teresa, Greg, Paul, and your large loving family who grieve the passing of its most beloved member, Bob. We have many wonderful memories that we made together with Bob and of how loving and caring an individual he was. His passing is a great loss for us too. I will miss his professionally earnest goading and encouragement to read more of the existing research literature than I typically liked to. Our daughters, Pritha and Kriti, who also saw and experienced Bob's kindness and love up close, also send their sympathies. He will stay in our memories forever. We pray for the peace and comfort for his departed soul. With our sincere regards and prayers, Sudhakar

Kelvin KanFeb 10

I will always be grateful for the time I spent with Professor Plemmons. I fondly remember visiting him at WFU in the summer of 2017 to work with him on my master's research project. He was more than an academic mentor. While I learned so much about research from him, I learned just as much from his kindness. During my visit, he invited me to his house for dinner every week and even to his family gatherings. I will always remember his generosity and kindness to everyone. His hard work, enthusiasm, and devotion to research have always been inspiring to me. His passing is a great loss to our community. He will be deeply missed. Photo: Professor Plemmons with Chao Wang and me, on the occasion of his 80th birthday. He gifted us the flannel shirts we are wearing.

Raymond ChanFeb 8

Bob was my mentor and life-long friend. He was the one to discover the potential of my work on Toeplitz systems and led me into the imaging field. Without him, I certainly cannot achieve what I have achieved today. Besides being my mentor, I was privileged to be his friend and learned from him how to interact with people--with genuine kindness and respect, and his never-tiring devotion towards research. It is a great loss for our community. His smile and gentle voice will always be on my mind. My deepest condolences to the Plemmons family and especially to Mary Jo. Bob climbed up the Great Wall in 2018.

Robert James Plemmons

Computational Mathematician

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