Robert Maust, an accounting professor for 50 years at the College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University, died on Monday in Richmond, Virginia, after battling a brain tumor for more than five years. He was 81.

Maust, a WVU professor emeritus, was beloved by students and revered by his colleagues at WVU. He was also highly regarded in the West Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants.

He was hired at WVU in 1963 and retired in 2013. His five decades of service to WVU’s business school included varying roles in the Accounting Department and college administration. In addition to his faculty position of Full Professor, he served as director of the MBA program from 1981-87. He served as acting chair and then chair of the Accounting Department from 1987-2003, with a brief break to serve as Interim Dean of the College of Business and Economics in 1993-94.

From 2003-11, Professor Maust served as the coordinator of the Master of Professional Accountancy Program and then interim chair again until 2012. He held the Louis F. Tanner Distinguished Professor of Public Accounting position from 1990 to 2010.

Bob served on the board of the West Virginia Society of CPAs and as president in 1979-1980. He was the first recipient of the WVSCPA’s Distinguished Service award in 1974, which is the highest honor the Society can bestow upon a member. Professor Maust was also the first recipient and to date the only two-time recipient of the WVSCPA Outstanding Accounting Educator award, having been recognized as such in 1989 and 1992. Professor Maust also received the WVSCPA’s Life Membership award in 1999. In addition to his service to the accounting profession though the WVSCPA, he served on the West Virginia Board of Accountancy from 2006-11.

On February 16, a service honoring him will be held at 10:00 a.m. at Bliley’s Funeral Chapel, 6900 Hull Street in North Chesterfield, Virginia. In early April, a memorial service will be held in Morgantown, with details available near the time of the service.

Tribute gifts to honor Professor Maust will be accepted by the WVU Foundation, applied to one of two scholarship funds started to honor him by former students and the West Virginia Society of CPAs. These funds assist future accounting students with their studies and professional endeavors: Robert Maust Student Experience Fund (2W1230) or Professor Robert Maust Scholarship (3Z779). WVU Foundation, One Waterfront Place, 7th floor, Morgantown WV 26507. 304.284.4000. Messages to the family may be mailed to 2416 Loch Braemar Drive, Richmond, VA 23236.