Robert Lowell LaFara was born October 22, 1925, the third child of Earl and Pearl LaFara of Indianapolis. Sadly, Bobby (as he was called when a child) lost his father before his third birthday. Bobby's maternal grandfather, David Louis Osborne, stepped into the void and became the primary support and father figure for Bobby and his two older sisters, Lois and Patty, until his death in 1942 at age 93.
Bob enlisted in the service when he was 16, just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was deferred until after his graduation from Thomas Howe High School in the spring of 1943. Originally, Bob attended pilot training school at Oklahoma A&M, but the needs of the Army changed and he was sent to bomber training in Yuma, AZ. From there he shipped out to Hawaii and Kobler Field where he became part of a B24 crew in the 819th Bombardment Squadron of the 30th Air Group. Bob flew missions all over the South Pacific, starting as a tail gunner and eventually as a radio operator, until the end of the war.
After the war, Bob attended Indiana University and received an advanced degree in Astronomy. Later, Bob would add a degree in Education, also from IU, and an advanced degree in Engineering from Purdue University. Bob spent about 40 years working for the Army and Navy as a research scientist, briefly at White Sands in New Mexico, but mostly at Naval Avionics in Indianapolis.
Bob married Miss Ella 'Betty' D******, a student at Butler University, on June 13, 1948. Bob and Betty met while both were students working at the Disciples of Christ Mission Building in Irvington. Their wedding service and reception were held at the Mission, the service performed by Betty's boss, Rev. Weesner.
Bob was very skilled beyond being a researcher, he built a large kitchen onto one home, a sunroom on another and always maintained a large garden. Bob also enjoyed many hobbies, including woodworking, star gazing, gardening, home computers, shareware programming and a variety of crafts. His online craft page can still be viewed at BobsCrafts.com and many of his handicrafted projects survive him.
Bob is greatly missed, he is survived by his wife, four daughters and three grandsons.
Bob enlisted in the service when he was 16, just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was deferred until after his graduation from Thomas Howe High School in the spring of 1943. Originally, Bob attended pilot training school at Oklahoma A&M, but the needs of the Army changed and he was sent to bomber training in Yuma, AZ. From there he shipped out to Hawaii and Kobler Field where he became part of a B24 crew in the 819th Bombardment Squadron of the 30th Air Group. Bob flew missions all over the South Pacific, starting as a tail gunner and eventually as a radio operator, until the end of the war.
After the war, Bob attended Indiana University and received an advanced degree in Astronomy. Later, Bob would add a degree in Education, also from IU, and an advanced degree in Engineering from Purdue University. Bob spent about 40 years working for the Army and Navy as a research scientist, briefly at White Sands in New Mexico, but mostly at Naval Avionics in Indianapolis.
Bob married Miss Ella 'Betty' D******, a student at Butler University, on June 13, 1948. Bob and Betty met while both were students working at the Disciples of Christ Mission Building in Irvington. Their wedding service and reception were held at the Mission, the service performed by Betty's boss, Rev. Weesner.
Bob was very skilled beyond being a researcher, he built a large kitchen onto one home, a sunroom on another and always maintained a large garden. Bob also enjoyed many hobbies, including woodworking, star gazing, gardening, home computers, shareware programming and a variety of crafts. His online craft page can still be viewed at BobsCrafts.com and many of his handicrafted projects survive him.
Bob is greatly missed, he is survived by his wife, four daughters and three grandsons.
Robert Lowell LaFara was born October 22, 1925, the third child of Earl and Pearl LaFara of Indianapolis. Sadly, Bobby (as he was called when a child) lost his father before his third birthday. Bobby's maternal grandfather, David Louis Osborne, stepped into the void and became the primary support and father figure for Bobby and his two older sisters, Lois and Patty, until his death in 1942 at age 93.
Bob enlisted in the service when he was 16, just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was deferred until after his graduation from Thomas Howe High School in the spring of 1943. Originally, Bob attended pilot training school at Oklahoma A&M, but the needs of the Army changed and he was sent to bomber training in Yuma, AZ. From there he shipped out to Hawaii and Kobler Field where he became part of a B24 crew in the 819th Bombardment Squadron of the 30th Air Group. Bob flew missions all over the South Pacific, starting as a tail gunner and eventually as a radio operator, until the end of the war.
After the war, Bob attended Indiana University and received an advanced degree in Astronomy. Later, Bob would add a degree in Education, also from IU, and an advanced degree in Engineering from Purdue University. Bob spent about 40 years working for the Army and Navy as a research scientist, briefly at White Sands in New Mexico, but mostly at Naval Avionics in Indianapolis.
Bob married Miss Ella 'Betty' D******, a student at Butler University, on June 13, 1948. Bob and Betty met while both were students working at the Disciples of Christ Mission Building in Irvington. Their wedding service and reception were held at the Mission, the service performed by Betty's boss, Rev. Weesner.
Bob was very skilled beyond being a researcher, he built a large kitchen onto one home, a sunroom on another and always maintained a large garden. Bob also enjoyed many hobbies, including woodworking, star gazing, gardening, home computers, shareware programming and a variety of crafts. His online craft page can still be viewed at BobsCrafts.com and many of his handicrafted projects survive him.
Bob is greatly missed, he is survived by his wife, four daughters and three grandsons.
Bob enlisted in the service when he was 16, just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was deferred until after his graduation from Thomas Howe High School in the spring of 1943. Originally, Bob attended pilot training school at Oklahoma A&M, but the needs of the Army changed and he was sent to bomber training in Yuma, AZ. From there he shipped out to Hawaii and Kobler Field where he became part of a B24 crew in the 819th Bombardment Squadron of the 30th Air Group. Bob flew missions all over the South Pacific, starting as a tail gunner and eventually as a radio operator, until the end of the war.
After the war, Bob attended Indiana University and received an advanced degree in Astronomy. Later, Bob would add a degree in Education, also from IU, and an advanced degree in Engineering from Purdue University. Bob spent about 40 years working for the Army and Navy as a research scientist, briefly at White Sands in New Mexico, but mostly at Naval Avionics in Indianapolis.
Bob married Miss Ella 'Betty' D******, a student at Butler University, on June 13, 1948. Bob and Betty met while both were students working at the Disciples of Christ Mission Building in Irvington. Their wedding service and reception were held at the Mission, the service performed by Betty's boss, Rev. Weesner.
Bob was very skilled beyond being a researcher, he built a large kitchen onto one home, a sunroom on another and always maintained a large garden. Bob also enjoyed many hobbies, including woodworking, star gazing, gardening, home computers, shareware programming and a variety of crafts. His online craft page can still be viewed at BobsCrafts.com and many of his handicrafted projects survive him.
Bob is greatly missed, he is survived by his wife, four daughters and three grandsons.
Gravesite Details
scattered: Jun 28, 2004
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