CDR Robert A. Stephan bravely moved on to his next assignment on August 22, 2021.  He was 92 years old.  Bob was born April 7, 1929, in Cedarburg, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, to Armand Harland Stephan and Clara Louise Fiebig. He grew up in Milwaukee and on the Stephan farm in Plymouth, Wisconsin, and he was the oldest of 4 children. They lived on the farm during the lingering depression economy when his dad could not find work, and he remembers going to first grade in an eight-grade one room country schoolhouse named Betsy Ross.  The Stephan family lived in Milwaukee after Bob’s father found work at the Milwaukee post office.

 

One day a Navy recruiter made a presentation about the NACP (Naval Aviation College Program) at Bob’s high school. Bob was always very interested in aviation and began military service in June 1949 at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. During this time Bob had a serious crush on a Milwaukee girl named Ruth Carol Orloski; they just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on Christmas Day 2020. Ruth is mourning the loss of her devoted husband.

 

His Navy career lasted 28 years. Bob was an excellent pilot flying a PBM Mariner during the Korean War, and later the P-2 and P-3 Orion, among other naval aircraft. Several times he flew completely across the Pacific Ocean to Japan or The Philippine Islands (no easy task back in the 50’s). On those flights the “stars were truly our friends” said Bob who navigated by the stars in the days of no electronic navigation aids. Bob earned his Systems Analyst doctorate from Northwestern University, and after retiring from the Navy in 1975 he continued working in the private sector, including work on several military contracts.  His significant Naval duty stations include Patrol Squadron VP-46, USS Valley Forge CVS-45, Patrol Squadron VP-44, Patrol Squadron VP-30 and Naval Postgraduate School Faculty. His significant awards include Air Medal, China Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, War Service Medal (Korea), Distinguished Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, and the Liberty Medal.

 

Bob was well regarded for his trusted integrity and strong ethics.  In all of his community and family projects over his recent 40+ years living on the Monterey Peninsula, he generously shared his time, interest, and computer skills in many ways.  Even before internet days he tirelessly researched family genealogy history, never pausing on this project even from his hospital bed, and assisted many along honest avenues to find verifiable family history.  In 1983 Bob joined with a group of Monterey area computer enthusiasts to form the Monterey Bay Users Group (MBUG-PC) as a non-profit public educational forum, holding a variety of officer positions and as historian through 2017. He was a life member of The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) serving as registrar, secretary, treasurer, and webmaster.  He was awarded the SAR Patriot Medal in Dec 2020 for his California chapter service.

 

Bob and Ruth raised 3 daughters: Gail Ruth Stephan, Gwen Lauren Stephan and Bettie Lee Stephan all living in the Monterey Bay area. Their grandson, Andrew Pollner, resides in Las Vegas. Additionally their great granddaughter, Natalie Rose Bennett, and great-great-grandson, Cyrus Michael Wible, reside in Delaware. He is predeceased by his brother Richard Stephan and his sister Marjorie Allingham.  He is survived by his sister Betty Nicodemus living in Plymouth, Wisconsin.

 

Along with his high achievements in life, Bob is deeply cherished for his committed loving nature to all family and friends.  We all miss him beyond words and keep him in our hearts with tremendous thankful mirrored love!

 

Memorial services will be privately held at The First Presbyterian Church of Monterey and inurnment at the California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery.