Robert Charles “Bob” Stults, Webb City, died Saturday afternoon, August 27, 2016, following several months of illness. He was 88.
Bob was born to Charles “Charlie” Stults and Hope (Nesbitt) Stults on May 29, 1928, at Jane Chinn Hospital in Webb City. He was their only child. Bob spent his childhood on North Roane Street in the home built by his grandfather Nesbitt. Bob was baptized in the First Presbyterian Church in Webb City and graduated in the Class of 1946 from Webb City High School. He then enlisted in the Navy and served two years, primarily in the Pacific. Following his tour of duty, in 1948, he enrolled at Georgia Tech University, graduating in 1952 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He then went to work for Shell Oil Company. He also worked for a time as a civilian employee at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City. In the early 1960’s with the space program in full swing, he was employed by NASA at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. He retired after 20 years, in 1983 and returned to his home state of Missouri, but continued to work as a consultant for NASA and the Department of Energy.
Bob married Sue Slight in 1954 and they had two children: Kathryn “Katy” Stults and Charles R. “Chip” Stults. They survive- Katy in the Denton, Tx, area and Chip in the Houston area. Bob is also survived by two grandsons, Robert “Robbie” and Clayton “Clay”, and a great grandson, Braxton, all of the Houston, Texas, area. Sue passed away in 1968.
Upon Bob’s return to Missouri in 1983, he renewed many acquaintances from his school years. One of these, Janet (James) Sagehorn was divorced and living in Neosho. They married in 1985, and she survives. They built a home in Neosho and resided there until moving to Loma Linda in 2000. In 2015, seeing the need to down-size and be closer to ‘necessities’, they moved to Webb City – ‘back to their roots’, so to speak.
In addition to Bob’s own family, he his survived by Janet’s three children: Kearney Sagehorn and wife LaNette, Clifton Park, NY; Amy (Sagehorn) Tucker and husband Rick, Loma Linda, MO, and five step-grandchildren: Hunter, August and Freya Sagehorn, Clifton Park, NY; and Jess and Mason Tucker, Springfield, MO.
Bob was extremely proud of his heritage and has amassed volumes of his family genealogy. He was particularly proud to have retained several acres of the farm his great-grandfather Stults purchased on Ivy Road near Oronogo, in 1868. He spent many happy, peaceful hours there, keeping it looking ‘neat’.
No formal services are planned. A Celebration of Love of Life will be held at a later date.
Private family burial will be held in Webb City Cemetery in the Nesbitt plot along with his parents and grandparents.
The family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks to: Avalon Hospice, Visiting Angels, and Webb City Health and Rehabilitation staff for the tender, loving care given to our Dear One during his last illness. May God Bless.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart association in care of Hedge-Lewis-Goodwin Funeral Home.
Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of Hedge-Lewis-Goodwin Funeral Home, Webb City, Missouri.
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