Robert D Gobble

Bob was born on July 23, 1937 in Salisbury, NC, to Clifton and Mildred Gobble. Bob spent his youth growing up in Spartanburg, SC where he had a paper route all throughout high school where he also worked as a lifeguard during the summer months. He graduated from Clemson University in 1959 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. While at Clemson he played football for the Clemson Tigers from 1955 – 1959 and played on the Clemson Orange and Sugar Bowl teams. In 1979 he earned his MS in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. Upon graduation from Clemson, he joined the United States Air Force in 1959 becoming a fighter pilot and was stationed at multiple Air Force bases in the US and overseas (including WPAFB, Okinawa, Takhli and Korat AB) until his military retirement in 1980. He flew 129 combat missions in Vietnam flying in the F-105D and F-105G Wild Weasel earning him the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross (1966). He worked on the F-15 fighter development program until retirement from the military in 1980 and entered the civilian work force at WPAFB working in the F-15 System Program Office.

Bob retired as the Chief of Engineering for the F-15E fighter in January 1991 completing 37 years of government service and was awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 1992. Upon retirement from WPAFB, Bob worked at H & R Block in Fairborn and then became a volunteer for VITA at the Beavercreek Senior Center where he completed local resident’s tax returns for over 25 years. He was a member of Be Hope Church in Beavercreek.

He is survived by his wife, Judy Gobble of Beavercreek; his 3 daughters Cindy (Travis) Back of Troy, OH, Judy (Mark) Wilson of Lake Zurich, IL and Mickey Scherer of Columbus, OH, stepsons, Carl Potts and Casey Potts, his brother, James (Marilyn) Gobble of Greenwood, SC and his special Uncle and Aunt, Bob and Laura Gobble of Greensboro, NC. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Kristie (Shane) McKiddy, Ryan (Kristyn) Back, Matt Wilson, Rob Wilson, Carlie (Aditya) Garg, Kelly (Rob) Bohnenstiehl, Abby Scherer, Allison Potts and Natalie Potts and four great grandchildren Jack McKiddy, Aubrey McKiddy, Nova Back and Brooks Bohnenstiehl.

He is preceded in death by his first wife Janet VanPatton Gobble.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 12 from 11:00am to noon followed by a memorial service at Tobias Funeral Home in Beavercreek. Graveside service will be held on July 24 at Greenlawn Cemetery, Spartanburg, SC. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton (324 Wilmington Ave, Dayton, OH 45420).