Samuel Robert Wyzenbeek Jr. peacefully passed on at the age of 91 on March 16, 2013, after a 25 year battle with cancer. But for that, his mind was still sharp and would surely have made the century mark.
Bob was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1921 and his family moved to Los Angeles the next year, where he lived through high school and two years at UCLA before joining the Navy in 1942.
Bob’s lifelong passion was aviation. He flew for 60 years and was in the air flying an open cockpit biplane out of what is now LAX when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He was a commander of a PBM flying boat patrol aircraft squadron off the Atlantic coast during WWII, and flew ‘Mats’ flights during the Korean conflict. After 17 ‘good years’ in the Navy, but still in the naval reserves, he joined Pan American Air Lines to keep his family from constantly moving.
Bob worked for Boeing in Seattle before joining Continental Air Line as executive vice president of sales and corporate planning, as well as president of Air Micronesia, a subsidiary of Continental. He left there at age 62 after the company was sold. He then consulted for Federal Express to help them maximize their air transport services before retiring.
Bob and his wife enjoyed 30 years of global travel and flying his Cessna 180 float plane around Canada where he had a summer home, and spending time with his extended family. He was preceded in death by Marion, his wife of 68 years, and is survived by his four chidren, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Bob was a self-made man of strong conviction whose word was his bond. He taught his family, and imparted to his many friends that ‘no one can take away your integrity, your knowledge or your experience’. He was respected and loved, and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Remembrance Party, June 29, 2013
Bob Wyzenbeek, 17616 S.E. 292 Pl., Kent Wash. 98042