Robert Ernest Counce (1922 - 2017)

Born 5 Sep 1922 in Chariton, Lucas, Iowa, United States

Ancestors

Died 26 Jan 2017 at age 94 in Statesboro, Bulloch, Georgia, United States

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Biography

Birth & Childhood

Birth

Robert "Bob" Earnest Counce was born, 05 Sep/Oct 1922, in Charlton, Iowa, as the youngest of 13 children, to Robert Edmund Lee Counce and his second wife, Bessie M. (Baxter) Counce^[1][2][3]

Research Note

Family records state that Robert was born in Oct, however Find A Grave has listed him as born in Sep. He has been listed her on WikiTree with the birth occuring in Sept until proof can be obtained that he was, in fact, born in Oct. The Sep/Oct entry in the bio is for anyone who is looking for clarification.^[1]

Childhood

Robert spoke with fondness of his childhood growing up in Julesburg, Colorado, working after school in his father's flour mill, playing dirt lot football, and learning to play the trombone in the school dance band - which he often remarked doing with a certain, special "flair". He attended the University of Colorado, for a time, as a pre-med student, before serving during World War II.^[1][2]

First Marriage

Not known at this time, but is implied in the very well written Obituary Memorial found on Find A Grave.^[1][2]

Children From First Marriage

He is survived by two daughters, Beverly & Cricket and two stepsons, Frank & Rob, two grandchildren, Catherine & Alex, as well as four great-grandchildren, Rose, James, Teddy, & Taylor.^[1][2][4]

Second Marriage

Robert married second, Leon "Lee" Claire (LNAB Not known at this time), in 1969, with whom he shared a love of travel and adventure, classical music and theater, family, faith, good friends, and living life every day.^[1][2]

Children From Second Marriage

Unknown at this time.^[4]

Military Service

Robert enlisted in the United States Army on 09 Feb 1943.^[5] He served during World War II, as a Staff Sergeant, in the 247th Army Air Forces Base Unit.^[1][2]

Profession

In 1946, after an honorable discharge from the service, "Bob", as he preferred to be called, returned to Denver, Colorado, where he started a family, and ran a very successful floor covering business for many years.^[1][2]

About Bob

Bob had a heart of gold, never knew a stranger, was always quick to lend a helping hand, generous to a fault, loved to be of service, and met every new day with the wonder of a child. He wanted to be known simply as "just Bob," but as "just Bob," he became truly remarkable.^[1][2]

Robert loved the mountains, and enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, and especially snow skiing - having continued to ski until he was 80 years old - remarking often that it felt "just like flying".^[1][2]

Relocating

In 2007, Robert moved, with "Lee", to Statesboro, Georgia to be nearer her two sons and their families.^[1][2] .

Death

Robert, age 94, passed away peacefully early Thursday morning, 26 Jan 2017. Visitation for family and family friends was held Monday, 30 Jan 2017at Hodges-Moore Funeral Home. A memorial service with military honors was held early Friday afternoon, 03 Feb 2017 at the Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Glennville, Georgia.^[1][2]

Memorial contributions may be made to Heritage Inn Health and Rehabilitation, Attn. Social Services Director, 307 Jones Mill Road, Statesboro, GA 30458.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11} Find A Grave: Memorial #175919367
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10} Stateboro Hearld (29 Jan 2017), StatesboroHerald.com; via Legacy.com Obituaries; retrieved from: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/statesboroherald/obituary.aspx?pid=183816783
3. ↑ United States Census, 1940, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRDZ-KMZ : accessed 12 November 2017), Robert E Counce in household of Bessie M Counce, Julesburg, Election Precinct 5, Sedgwick, Colorado, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 58-8, sheet 8A, line 16, family 176, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 480.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Too early for some records to be released and some children may still be living so they may not be findable at this time
5. ↑ "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMNN-F4W : 5 December 2014), Robert E Counce, enlisted 09 Feb 1943, Denver, Colorado, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 126323, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.

Acknowledgement

It is with deep gratitude that T Counce thanks Hodges-Moore Funeral Home for their remarkable obituary for her 2nd Cousin, twice removed, most of which appears here in Robert's Biography, only slightly altered