Robert Lee "Bob" Hartle, 93, of Jackson passed away Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau, where he had lived for the past year.

He was born Nov. 3, 1918, on the family farm near Millersville at Hartle's Ford, where his great-great-grandfather, Peter Hartle, settled in 1801. He was the son of Fred and Jacie Cheatum Gladish Hartle. He and Adell Marie Hendrix, the love of his life, were married June 9, 1950. She passed away March 18, 2012.

Bob graduated from Jackson High School in 1937, and was a member of the 1935-1936 football team that was the only team in school history that has ever gone undefeated, untied and unscored upon. He also was on the 1934 Jackson High School State Champion basketball team. He attended college in Cape Girardeau for two years and then worked at various jobs in the area before working in a small arms, defense plant in St. Louis. In 1942 he enlisted in the Naval Reserves (Naval Air Corp) and served as a flight instructor and naval aviator during World War II. After graduating as a flight instructor from the New Orleans Naval Air Base, he transferred to St. Louis where he trained British cadets to become pilots. He was later transferred to the South Pacific, flying multi-engine land and sea planes in the Naval Air Transport Service. He flew to many locations, including Honolulu, Johnson Islands, Kwajalein, Saipan, Samar, Manila, Guam, Peleliu, Manus, Okinawa, Shanghai, Tsinghua, Iwo Jima, Tokyo and Atsugi, logging more than 2,200 flight hours. He was honorably discharged in 1946. From 1948 to 1952 he was on active duty at the Naval Reserves Squadron in Cape Girardeau.

During his childhood, he became a member of New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson, where he was a past member of the Administrative Board and past president of the Methodist Men's Club. 

In 1947 he established Robert Hartle Insurance Agency in Jackson. After their marriage, he and Adell worked side by side in the office until they retired in 1984. After retirement, they enjoyed a very full lifestyle of golfing, traveling in their motor home to Florida during the winter months and Kentucky Lake during the summer to fish. They were devoted grandparents who took great pleasure in nurturing their grandchildren and watching them grow during their early years. They were always dedicated, always supportive and always there for them.

Bob obtained his real estate license in 1950 and in 1960 began a partnership with Riverside Lumber Co., co-developing Indian Hills Subdivision in Jackson. In the early 1970s, he served as chairman of the Jackson Exchange Bank board of directors. Other community service, contributions to the area and accolades include president of the Jackson Rotary Club in 1967; Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary International; Rotary District 609 Conference chairman in 1977. He was secretary, vice president and 1965 president of the Jackson Industrial Development Corp.; recipient of the Community Leadership Award at Jackson from the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce; president of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce in 1969; recipient of the 1990 R.A. Fulenwider Award presented by the Jackson Chamber of Commerce; helped organize the Southeast Missouri Medical Center and served on its board of directors; and was active in the former Jackson Community Chest Board. In 1962, he participated in the organization and was one of six charter members of Kimbeland Country Club, serving as president in 1964. He was past president of Post M of the Travelers Protection Association, served as state director, and also served on the national board of directors from 1980 to 1982. While on the National TPA Board, he was named a Kentucky Colonel during the term of Gov. John Y. Brown in 1982.

He was a member of the Excelsior Masonic Lodge No. 441 AF&AM in Jackson since 1948, receiving his Third-Degree in October 1949, and was a member of the Sword of Bunker Hill, and received a 60 year pin in 2008. He was a member of the SEMO Seniors Golf Association and served on the board of directors.

Bob joined the Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post No. 158 in Jackson in 1946, was adjutant in 1948, commander in 1999 and a member of the Honor Guard. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Clippard-Wilson-Taylor Post in Cape Girardeau.

Loving survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Robert Chadwick "Chad" and Geneva Sides Hartle; a daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Tom Huebel of Smyrna, Tenn.; five grandchildren, Dan (Angie) Huebel of Fayetteville, N.C., David Huebel of Smyrna, Jacie Hartle of St. Charles, Ill., Lindsey Hartle of Jackson and Robert C. "Robbie" Hartle II of Jackson.

In addition to his wife of 61 years, he was preceded in death by two brothers, John Fred Hartle and Troy Emanuel Hartle.        

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. A Masonic service will be at 7 p.m.

An American Legion service will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, followed by the funeral service, with the Rev. Jimmie Corbin officiating. Interment will follow in Memorial Park Mausoleum in Cape Girardeau, with full military honors.

Memorials may be made to New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson or the Veterans Home Activity Fund.

Sympathy messages may be sent to the family online at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.