The wake for Bob was yesterday in Queens, New York. Jim Damerell was most kind in providing transportation for me into the city on a very rainy and nasty day. I have never liked driving in the city, and now that I'm getting older I really don't like it. Jim is very good at what I call "combat driving." That skill is a must if you want to survive in New York City traffic... Naturally we reminisced a lot about the early days when we all flew together at Flushing Meadows flying field during the ride.
We went to the early session at the funeral home, and found Vic Macaluso and his wife, Diane already there, along with Joe Daly. Many other modeling friends of Bob attended the later session that evening. And, again a lot of stories were retold about the adventures at the Flushing Meadows field. Bob's "called shot" of winning the 1969 Nats story was also retold. I had found an old Flying Models magazine in which Bob's United article appeared, and I gave that to Bob's widow, Loraine. She had a number of old photos of Bob with his planes on display.
I guess there are no "happy endings," but there was certainly a lot of love in that room for our departed friend. I can picture him walking out on the flying field in heaven and setting his F-86 down in line to fly with Gene Shaffer, Bob Gieseke, Lew McFarland, Bob Palmer, Harold Price, Jim Kostecky, Mario Rondinelli, Davey Slagle, Dave Cook, Red Reinhardt, an all the other fliers who have passed on. Imagine the stories that they are retelling to each other...
God Speed Bob; you were one of a kind.
Bob Hunt