1925
Robert
2017
Robert J. Gonnering
March 30, 1925 — November 21, 2017
Robert (Bob) J. Gonnering, 92, passed on from this life in the early morning hours of November 21, 2017. During his last 18 months he was a resident of Bishop's Court Assisted Living in Green Bay. Born on March 30, 1925 in Greenleaf, Wisconsin, he was the eighth of thirteen children born to William and Cecelia Kempen Gonnering. Bob attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and Wrightstown High School, graduating in May 1943.
Wanting to serve his country in the military during World War II, Bob enlisted in the United States Army Air Corp in September 1943. Upon completion of gunnery training in Nevada, he was assigned to the 8th Army Air Force’s 381st Bombardment Group’s 533rd Bomb Squadron. Bob was stationed at the Ridgewell, Essex Air Field in England. He completed thirty-five bombing missions in the B-17 Flying Fortress as the top turret gunner and flight engineer. He and his squadron survived a crash landing in Diest, Belgium during a bombing mission to Merseburg, Germany. Bob participated in the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe battles and campaigns. His 381st Group earned two Distinguished Unit Citations. In October 1945 he was discharged from the US Army, having attained the rank of Staff Sergeant.
With the intent to study engineering, Bob enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. While there, he met his future wife, Leah Van de Zande, whom he wed in January 1949. They settled in Milwaukee where he began his career in drafting and design. It was in Milwaukee that he became a father to daughters, Kristine and Sherry. The family lived in Kenosha for four years, but in 1959, a yearning to move out west drew him and his family to Salt Lake City, Utah. There, he realized his dream of becoming involved in the defense and aerospace industry. Bob worked for Sperry Engineering Laboratory and later Hercules Powder Co. on components for the Sergeant and Polaris missiles. In 1965, he accepted a job with Sperry Rand Space Support Division in Huntsville, AL where he was assigned to projects for NASA’s space exploration program. Upon completion of his work in Huntsville, AL he moved his family to Phoenix, AZ. There he worked as a sub-contractor for Motorola.
Upon retirement, Bob continued his passion for travel, criss-crossing the United States numerous times over the years with his partner, Cecelia (Ceil) O’Connell. One of his most memorable trips was a cruise to Alaska. During the late 1970's he finally returned to Wisconsin to care for his aging parents living in DePere.
A life long Green Bay Packer fan, Bob also loved gardening, cooking, painting, hunting, photography, playing cards and reading. He always had an eye for detail and was fascinated by how things were assembled and how things worked. As a result, Bob could fix almost anything. He was an inherent recycler, always thinking of creative ways to reuse everyday items. He enjoyed happy times spent with family and friends and was always available to lend a helping hand when needed.
Bob will be dearly missed by his family. He is preceded in death by his parents, William and Cecelia Gonnering, five brothers, Ralph, Vincent, Marvin, Donald and Raymond (Bud) and four sisters, Evelyn (Norbert) Vander Perren, Ethel (Roland) Matzke and Germaine (Gary) Greening and infant sister, Marian. Bob is survived by his daughters, Kristine (Patrick) Curran and Sherry Linden, three sisters, Marjorie (Chester) Dollar, Irene (Eugene) Engstrom and Rose Mary (Joe) DuBois. Also, by his long time love and partner, Ceil O’Connell and her family, along with numerous nieces and nephews. To those closest to him, he was known as "Boby G."
It was Bob's wish to be cremated and have his ashes released into a body of water. A celebration of Bob’s life will be held from 5 - 8 P.M. at the Brook Park Apartments’ community room on Sunday, December 3, 2017.
Daughters, Kristine and Sherry, would like to extend a special thank you to the wonderful caregivers and staff at Bishop’s Court and Unity Hospice for their kind and loving care given to their father during his residence at Bishop’s Court.
Wanting to serve his country in the military during World War II, Bob enlisted in the United States Army Air Corp in September 1943. Upon completion of gunnery training in Nevada, he was assigned to the 8th Army Air Force’s 381st Bombardment Group’s 533rd Bomb Squadron. Bob was stationed at the Ridgewell, Essex Air Field in England. He completed thirty-five bombing missions in the B-17 Flying Fortress as the top turret gunner and flight engineer. He and his squadron survived a crash landing in Diest, Belgium during a bombing mission to Merseburg, Germany. Bob participated in the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe battles and campaigns. His 381st Group earned two Distinguished Unit Citations. In October 1945 he was discharged from the US Army, having attained the rank of Staff Sergeant.
With the intent to study engineering, Bob enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. While there, he met his future wife, Leah Van de Zande, whom he wed in January 1949. They settled in Milwaukee where he began his career in drafting and design. It was in Milwaukee that he became a father to daughters, Kristine and Sherry. The family lived in Kenosha for four years, but in 1959, a yearning to move out west drew him and his family to Salt Lake City, Utah. There, he realized his dream of becoming involved in the defense and aerospace industry. Bob worked for Sperry Engineering Laboratory and later Hercules Powder Co. on components for the Sergeant and Polaris missiles. In 1965, he accepted a job with Sperry Rand Space Support Division in Huntsville, AL where he was assigned to projects for NASA’s space exploration program. Upon completion of his work in Huntsville, AL he moved his family to Phoenix, AZ. There he worked as a sub-contractor for Motorola.
Upon retirement, Bob continued his passion for travel, criss-crossing the United States numerous times over the years with his partner, Cecelia (Ceil) O’Connell. One of his most memorable trips was a cruise to Alaska. During the late 1970's he finally returned to Wisconsin to care for his aging parents living in DePere.
A life long Green Bay Packer fan, Bob also loved gardening, cooking, painting, hunting, photography, playing cards and reading. He always had an eye for detail and was fascinated by how things were assembled and how things worked. As a result, Bob could fix almost anything. He was an inherent recycler, always thinking of creative ways to reuse everyday items. He enjoyed happy times spent with family and friends and was always available to lend a helping hand when needed.
Bob will be dearly missed by his family. He is preceded in death by his parents, William and Cecelia Gonnering, five brothers, Ralph, Vincent, Marvin, Donald and Raymond (Bud) and four sisters, Evelyn (Norbert) Vander Perren, Ethel (Roland) Matzke and Germaine (Gary) Greening and infant sister, Marian. Bob is survived by his daughters, Kristine (Patrick) Curran and Sherry Linden, three sisters, Marjorie (Chester) Dollar, Irene (Eugene) Engstrom and Rose Mary (Joe) DuBois. Also, by his long time love and partner, Ceil O’Connell and her family, along with numerous nieces and nephews. To those closest to him, he was known as "Boby G."
It was Bob's wish to be cremated and have his ashes released into a body of water. A celebration of Bob’s life will be held from 5 - 8 P.M. at the Brook Park Apartments’ community room on Sunday, December 3, 2017.
Daughters, Kristine and Sherry, would like to extend a special thank you to the wonderful caregivers and staff at Bishop’s Court and Unity Hospice for their kind and loving care given to their father during his residence at Bishop’s Court.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Robert J. Gonnering, please visit our flower store.
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