Wolffe William "Bob" Roberts
Wolffe William "Bob" Roberts
Wolffe William "Bob" Roberts died Thursday, November
29
,
2012 at the age of 96
.
He
was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 28, 1916, the only child of
Earle Colston Roberts and Faith Grace Hardy.
Bob spent his entire childhood in Amherst, New Hampshire. He was one of the first Eagle Scouts in New Hampshire and even as a young boy dreamed of flying. After graduating from Amherst High School in 1934, he sailed as an apprentice engineer on the Dollar Line to San Francisco through the Panama Canal en route to a planned tr i p around the world. A shipping strike cut the trip short so he and his uncle bought a car and drove back across the country to New Hampshire where he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. Following his CCC stint, he went to work for the Forest Service in the White Mountain National Forest. His love of the outdoors prompted his enrollment at the University of Idaho Forestry School in 1937. Bob worked for the Forest Service out of Coeur d ' Alene in the summers. He finally realized his boyhood dream when he learned to fly at Zimmerly Air Transport in Clarkston while attending the U of I.
In 1941 he joined the Navy and was eventually stationed at Corpus Christi, Texas where he taught instrument flying. It was there that he met Jessie Little (a WAVE) and they were married. Shortly afterward he had orders to join the newly commissioned VC8 composite squadron and became a Wildcat fighter pilot. He made the rank of Lieutenant and was the executive officer of the squadron. Bob and his squadron served on the Guadalcanal, Card, Nehenta Bay, Solomons and Tripo l i aircraft carriers. He served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. In 1944 he aided in the capture of the U-505 German submarine off the coast of Africa. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions on that day. He also received the Air Medal for his actions in the Pacific at Okinawa and Sakishima Gunto. He retired from the Naval Reserve in 1954 with the rank of Commander.
After the war he returned to Idaho. He worked for Lipps Insurance Agency in Lewiston and resumed his education at the U of I where he graduated with a BS degree in Business. In 1948 he joined the Springfield Insurance Company living and working in Salt Lake City and Missoula, Montana. Through the years he worked in execut i ve positions for that company in San Francisco, Chicago, Cleveland and with the Home Insurance Company in New York City.
In 1967 Bob moved his famil y back out west to "God ' s country". He was Deputy Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Idaho. He retired in 1979 and spent his time traveling, gardening, hiking, camping and exercising with the Happy Hoofer walking group and at the downtown YMCA . Bob and Jessie made many good friends along the way. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren and shared his love of the outdoors , his laughter and enthusiasm with them.
He was a man of keen intelligence and great wit. A loving father and grandfather ... always optimistic with a twinkle in his eye. There was never a job he couldn't do; he was a genuine jack of all trades. Even through all his difficulties of the last few years, he never lost his sense of humor or his ability to care about others.
He leaves his wife Jessie of 69 years and 2 sons, Craig Roberts (wife Barbara) and Brian Roberts. He i s also survived by his daughter Pam and his "favorite" son-in-law Cary W i lkerson. Bob felt blessed to have 3 grandchildren, Tracy Moya (husband Mike), Bret Wilkerson (wife Annie), Kelly Onofrei (husband Tim) and 5 great grandchildren, Connor, Wyatt, Kaitlyn, Alice and Brooke.
At his request there will be no formal services. An informal remembrance gathering of family and friends will be held at Overland Court Senior Living on Monday, December 10th at 1: 30 pm. Memorials may be made in his name to the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa or the downtown Boise YMCA.
His family would like to express their deep appreciation to all the special caregivers at Overland Court and Legacy Hospice for their extraordinary care and kindness given to Bob . There are no words to express how much this has meant to us .
To quote his 4 year old great granddaughter . . "'He was such a good guy'" He was our hero and we will hold his memory in our hearts forever.
Bob spent his entire childhood in Amherst, New Hampshire. He was one of the first Eagle Scouts in New Hampshire and even as a young boy dreamed of flying. After graduating from Amherst High School in 1934, he sailed as an apprentice engineer on the Dollar Line to San Francisco through the Panama Canal en route to a planned tr i p around the world. A shipping strike cut the trip short so he and his uncle bought a car and drove back across the country to New Hampshire where he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. Following his CCC stint, he went to work for the Forest Service in the White Mountain National Forest. His love of the outdoors prompted his enrollment at the University of Idaho Forestry School in 1937. Bob worked for the Forest Service out of Coeur d ' Alene in the summers. He finally realized his boyhood dream when he learned to fly at Zimmerly Air Transport in Clarkston while attending the U of I.
In 1941 he joined the Navy and was eventually stationed at Corpus Christi, Texas where he taught instrument flying. It was there that he met Jessie Little (a WAVE) and they were married. Shortly afterward he had orders to join the newly commissioned VC8 composite squadron and became a Wildcat fighter pilot. He made the rank of Lieutenant and was the executive officer of the squadron. Bob and his squadron served on the Guadalcanal, Card, Nehenta Bay, Solomons and Tripo l i aircraft carriers. He served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. In 1944 he aided in the capture of the U-505 German submarine off the coast of Africa. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions on that day. He also received the Air Medal for his actions in the Pacific at Okinawa and Sakishima Gunto. He retired from the Naval Reserve in 1954 with the rank of Commander.
After the war he returned to Idaho. He worked for Lipps Insurance Agency in Lewiston and resumed his education at the U of I where he graduated with a BS degree in Business. In 1948 he joined the Springfield Insurance Company living and working in Salt Lake City and Missoula, Montana. Through the years he worked in execut i ve positions for that company in San Francisco, Chicago, Cleveland and with the Home Insurance Company in New York City.
In 1967 Bob moved his famil y back out west to "God ' s country". He was Deputy Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Idaho. He retired in 1979 and spent his time traveling, gardening, hiking, camping and exercising with the Happy Hoofer walking group and at the downtown YMCA . Bob and Jessie made many good friends along the way. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren and shared his love of the outdoors , his laughter and enthusiasm with them.
He was a man of keen intelligence and great wit. A loving father and grandfather ... always optimistic with a twinkle in his eye. There was never a job he couldn't do; he was a genuine jack of all trades. Even through all his difficulties of the last few years, he never lost his sense of humor or his ability to care about others.
He leaves his wife Jessie of 69 years and 2 sons, Craig Roberts (wife Barbara) and Brian Roberts. He i s also survived by his daughter Pam and his "favorite" son-in-law Cary W i lkerson. Bob felt blessed to have 3 grandchildren, Tracy Moya (husband Mike), Bret Wilkerson (wife Annie), Kelly Onofrei (husband Tim) and 5 great grandchildren, Connor, Wyatt, Kaitlyn, Alice and Brooke.
At his request there will be no formal services. An informal remembrance gathering of family and friends will be held at Overland Court Senior Living on Monday, December 10th at 1: 30 pm. Memorials may be made in his name to the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa or the downtown Boise YMCA.
His family would like to express their deep appreciation to all the special caregivers at Overland Court and Legacy Hospice for their extraordinary care and kindness given to Bob . There are no words to express how much this has meant to us .
To quote his 4 year old great granddaughter . . "'He was such a good guy'" He was our hero and we will hold his memory in our hearts forever.
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