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Bob Hawley (1923-2007)
Hawley, Robert C. "Bob", a native Californian born in Stockton, CA, on February 11, 1923, was the youngest of three sons to Olive and Earle Hawley and passed away on September 23, 2007, at the age of 84. Bob graduated from Excelsior Union High School in Norwalk, California and graduated from Long Beach Junior College in 1943. Later that year, he received a Congressional appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Bob graduated from USMA, as a Second Lieutenant, in May 1946, with a BS in Engineering. He then married his college sweetheart Margaret Anne "Peg" Byrne, a native of New York City, in December 1946. Bob and Peggy spent the next 10 years raising five children and traveling the globe courtesy of the U. S. Army. During this time, Bob was stationed in Korea, at Ft. Bragg, NC, in Heidelberg, West Germany, at the University of Michigan (where he earned a Master's Degree in Engineering), and several times at Ft. Monmoutn, NJ. Bob was retired medically from the army in 1956 as a Captain, while stationed at Ft. Monmouth, NJ, after boughts with diverticulitis and hepatitis. Between 1956 and 1962, he embarked on a second career as an electronics engineer with Collins Radio Company in New Jersey. While at Collins Radio Company, he helped develop several pieces of electronic equipment used by NASA in the fledgling space program in the early 1960s. Also between 1956 to 1962, Bob and Peggy welcomed three more additions to their growing family, bringing the total number of children to eight when Bob was transferred to Southern California and started working with Autonetics. He later went to work for Nortronics for several years before returning to Autonetics. In 1969, Bob decided to try third career as a teacher. This was something he had always wanted to do but never had the opportunity to pursue. He subsequently earned his California teaching certificate and spent the next 12 years teaching at Los Alamitos High School, in Los Alamitos until he retired in 1982. Not ready to settle down completely after retiring from teaching, Bob established himself in a fourth career. He returned to work for the U. S. Government as a federal inspector reviewing civilian contractors' results, where he remained until 1991. After retiring from the U. S. Government and having raised their eight children, Bob and Peg Spent time traveling throughout the U.S., moved to Palm Desert, California for three years, and then returned to Anaheim in 2000. As a West Point graduate, Bob took a great deal of quiet pride in knowing that he had one son, Joseph, and one grandchild, Kobbe Shaw, who graduated from West Point in 1982 and 2000 respectively, and another grandchild, Jeanne Gorlin, who will graduate from West Point in May 2008. Bob and Peg celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with family and friends in 2006. Bob was a military veteran, a Boy Scout leader, an active Knights of Columbus member, and a loving husband and father who was always ready to learn something new and impart words of wisdom when necessary. He was proud to be a native Californian and even though his varied careers took him to many places outside the state and country, he always returned home to Southern California. Bob is survived by his beloved wife Peg and all eight children to include Robert, Anne, Patricia, James, Mary, Joseph, Judy, and Peter, 22 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Bob was predeceased by both his brothers Richard and Volney and two grandchildren, Alexandra and Matthew. Though he will be missed every day, Bob lives on in the hearts of his family, friends and the many people whose lives he touched. Be thou at peace, Bob. Services will be held Monday, October 22nd at 10:00 a.m. at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 4268 Lime St. Riverside, CA 92501. Internment will follow at the Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside. Rosary will be held Sunday, October 21st, 7:30 p.m. at St. Catherine's Military Academy Chapel, 215 N. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92805. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: AOG West Point - Class of 1946 Fund.
Published in the Orange County Register on 10/18/2007.