Robert Houston Gattis, 91, died Friday, Dec. 26, 2008, at Hamilton County Hospital in Syracuse.
He was born Nov. 1, 1917, to the Rev. George Harrol and Ida Lee Hutton Gattis in Margaret, Texas. He was known as "Bob," "R.H." and "Sweet Old Bob."
He was raised in a family of five boys and one girl on a circuit-riding Methodist preacher's salary. During the Depression, that salary was primarily in the form of food donated by the congregation, so when they were able, all the children went to work to help support the family.
He was a graduate of Lakeview High School in Lakeview, Texas. He worked his way for three years through North Texas State before running out of money. He ultimately returned to North Texas State in 1947 when the Air Force sent him back to earn his degree. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1948, with a major in physics.
After leaving college in 1937, Mr. Gattis, who always wanted to fly, became a flying cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps, which ultimately became the U.S. Air Force. After training, one of his first, and possibly favorite, assignments was to Phoenix, where he taught numerous Chinese cadets to fly B-17s and B-24s.
On Nov. 5, 1942, he married Annazell "Ann" Speed in Phoenix. The couple raised their four children globally and served their country around the U.S. as well as in Italy and Japan. Mr. Gattis earned the Legion of Merit Award in 1965 and retired from the USAF as a full Colonel in 1968. He next accepted a position at the Los Alamos Scientific Lab, where he worked for 10 years before retiring again. Ten years later, he and his wife moved to Texas, where they spent 17 years making friends out of most acquaintances and enjoying each other's company.
Everywhere he lived, he created a garden. On the patio of a penthouse apartment in Naples, Italy, he grew tomatoes by the bushel. In the mountains near Santa Fe, N.M., he grew fruit trees and vegetables of all kinds. In later years, he came to enjoy yard work and made an oasis of green wherever they happened to live. In addition to gardening, through most of his life, he was fond of golf, fishing and training whatever dog was in residence. He was a member of the Military Officers Association of America.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Thomas Hilburn Gattis, Winford Hutton Gattis and George Harold Gattis.
Survivors include his wife, of Syracuse; a brother, John Herman Gattis of Pampa, Texas; three daughters, Margaret Donato of Earlysville, Va., Barbara Hill of Coronado, Calif., and Sandra Killion of Syracuse; a son, Robert H. Gattis of Burnaby, Canada; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Inurnment was at the Kansas Veterans Cemetery at WaKeeney.
Garden City Telegram 1/2/09
He was born Nov. 1, 1917, to the Rev. George Harrol and Ida Lee Hutton Gattis in Margaret, Texas. He was known as "Bob," "R.H." and "Sweet Old Bob."
He was raised in a family of five boys and one girl on a circuit-riding Methodist preacher's salary. During the Depression, that salary was primarily in the form of food donated by the congregation, so when they were able, all the children went to work to help support the family.
He was a graduate of Lakeview High School in Lakeview, Texas. He worked his way for three years through North Texas State before running out of money. He ultimately returned to North Texas State in 1947 when the Air Force sent him back to earn his degree. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1948, with a major in physics.
After leaving college in 1937, Mr. Gattis, who always wanted to fly, became a flying cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps, which ultimately became the U.S. Air Force. After training, one of his first, and possibly favorite, assignments was to Phoenix, where he taught numerous Chinese cadets to fly B-17s and B-24s.
On Nov. 5, 1942, he married Annazell "Ann" Speed in Phoenix. The couple raised their four children globally and served their country around the U.S. as well as in Italy and Japan. Mr. Gattis earned the Legion of Merit Award in 1965 and retired from the USAF as a full Colonel in 1968. He next accepted a position at the Los Alamos Scientific Lab, where he worked for 10 years before retiring again. Ten years later, he and his wife moved to Texas, where they spent 17 years making friends out of most acquaintances and enjoying each other's company.
Everywhere he lived, he created a garden. On the patio of a penthouse apartment in Naples, Italy, he grew tomatoes by the bushel. In the mountains near Santa Fe, N.M., he grew fruit trees and vegetables of all kinds. In later years, he came to enjoy yard work and made an oasis of green wherever they happened to live. In addition to gardening, through most of his life, he was fond of golf, fishing and training whatever dog was in residence. He was a member of the Military Officers Association of America.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Thomas Hilburn Gattis, Winford Hutton Gattis and George Harold Gattis.
Survivors include his wife, of Syracuse; a brother, John Herman Gattis of Pampa, Texas; three daughters, Margaret Donato of Earlysville, Va., Barbara Hill of Coronado, Calif., and Sandra Killion of Syracuse; a son, Robert H. Gattis of Burnaby, Canada; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Inurnment was at the Kansas Veterans Cemetery at WaKeeney.
Garden City Telegram 1/2/09
Robert Houston Gattis, 91, died Friday, Dec. 26, 2008, at Hamilton County Hospital in Syracuse.
He was born Nov. 1, 1917, to the Rev. George Harrol and Ida Lee Hutton Gattis in Margaret, Texas. He was known as "Bob," "R.H." and "Sweet Old Bob."
He was raised in a family of five boys and one girl on a circuit-riding Methodist preacher's salary. During the Depression, that salary was primarily in the form of food donated by the congregation, so when they were able, all the children went to work to help support the family.
He was a graduate of Lakeview High School in Lakeview, Texas. He worked his way for three years through North Texas State before running out of money. He ultimately returned to North Texas State in 1947 when the Air Force sent him back to earn his degree. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1948, with a major in physics.
After leaving college in 1937, Mr. Gattis, who always wanted to fly, became a flying cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps, which ultimately became the U.S. Air Force. After training, one of his first, and possibly favorite, assignments was to Phoenix, where he taught numerous Chinese cadets to fly B-17s and B-24s.
On Nov. 5, 1942, he married Annazell "Ann" Speed in Phoenix. The couple raised their four children globally and served their country around the U.S. as well as in Italy and Japan. Mr. Gattis earned the Legion of Merit Award in 1965 and retired from the USAF as a full Colonel in 1968. He next accepted a position at the Los Alamos Scientific Lab, where he worked for 10 years before retiring again. Ten years later, he and his wife moved to Texas, where they spent 17 years making friends out of most acquaintances and enjoying each other's company.
Everywhere he lived, he created a garden. On the patio of a penthouse apartment in Naples, Italy, he grew tomatoes by the bushel. In the mountains near Santa Fe, N.M., he grew fruit trees and vegetables of all kinds. In later years, he came to enjoy yard work and made an oasis of green wherever they happened to live. In addition to gardening, through most of his life, he was fond of golf, fishing and training whatever dog was in residence. He was a member of the Military Officers Association of America.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Thomas Hilburn Gattis, Winford Hutton Gattis and George Harold Gattis.
Survivors include his wife, of Syracuse; a brother, John Herman Gattis of Pampa, Texas; three daughters, Margaret Donato of Earlysville, Va., Barbara Hill of Coronado, Calif., and Sandra Killion of Syracuse; a son, Robert H. Gattis of Burnaby, Canada; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Inurnment was at the Kansas Veterans Cemetery at WaKeeney.
Garden City Telegram 1/2/09
He was born Nov. 1, 1917, to the Rev. George Harrol and Ida Lee Hutton Gattis in Margaret, Texas. He was known as "Bob," "R.H." and "Sweet Old Bob."
He was raised in a family of five boys and one girl on a circuit-riding Methodist preacher's salary. During the Depression, that salary was primarily in the form of food donated by the congregation, so when they were able, all the children went to work to help support the family.
He was a graduate of Lakeview High School in Lakeview, Texas. He worked his way for three years through North Texas State before running out of money. He ultimately returned to North Texas State in 1947 when the Air Force sent him back to earn his degree. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1948, with a major in physics.
After leaving college in 1937, Mr. Gattis, who always wanted to fly, became a flying cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps, which ultimately became the U.S. Air Force. After training, one of his first, and possibly favorite, assignments was to Phoenix, where he taught numerous Chinese cadets to fly B-17s and B-24s.
On Nov. 5, 1942, he married Annazell "Ann" Speed in Phoenix. The couple raised their four children globally and served their country around the U.S. as well as in Italy and Japan. Mr. Gattis earned the Legion of Merit Award in 1965 and retired from the USAF as a full Colonel in 1968. He next accepted a position at the Los Alamos Scientific Lab, where he worked for 10 years before retiring again. Ten years later, he and his wife moved to Texas, where they spent 17 years making friends out of most acquaintances and enjoying each other's company.
Everywhere he lived, he created a garden. On the patio of a penthouse apartment in Naples, Italy, he grew tomatoes by the bushel. In the mountains near Santa Fe, N.M., he grew fruit trees and vegetables of all kinds. In later years, he came to enjoy yard work and made an oasis of green wherever they happened to live. In addition to gardening, through most of his life, he was fond of golf, fishing and training whatever dog was in residence. He was a member of the Military Officers Association of America.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Thomas Hilburn Gattis, Winford Hutton Gattis and George Harold Gattis.
Survivors include his wife, of Syracuse; a brother, John Herman Gattis of Pampa, Texas; three daughters, Margaret Donato of Earlysville, Va., Barbara Hill of Coronado, Calif., and Sandra Killion of Syracuse; a son, Robert H. Gattis of Burnaby, Canada; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Inurnment was at the Kansas Veterans Cemetery at WaKeeney.
Garden City Telegram 1/2/09
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