Maine, Robert B. December 9, 1925 - May 28, 2013

Robert Bruce Maine was born in Wapello, Iowa on December 9, 1925 and went to glory May 28, 2013. He was the oldest of 9 children born to Earl Cecil Maine and Goldie Josephine (Herrick) Maine. He joined the Navy in 1943 and was discharged in 1945. After leaving the Navy he took advantage of the G.I. Bill and entered Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His love for aviation grew from there, as a licensed mechanic he took a job at a small airport in Benkelman, Nebraska.. That gave him an opportunity to secure his pilots license. Later he worked for American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He really loved working on small aircraft and went to work at a small airport in Topeka, Kansas. He loved every minute of it. While there he was issued a designated aircraft maintenance inspector rating by the FAA, one of only 5000 in the whole country at that time. He moved on to working for TWA, based in Kansas City. He later worked for the Fairfax airport in Kansas City. It was there that he heard the FAA was hiring inspectors with certain qualifications which he could meet, so he applied. He worked for the FAA for 25 years. Bob really loved small aircraft and rebuilt several airplanes as well as built from scratch. He was a charter member of the local experimental aircraft association, which was founded in Osceola, Missouri. Robert also loved the outdoors and was an avid duck hunter from his youth until he could no longer take the cold weather. Upon retiring in 1985 he was attracted to Osceola, Missouri for its access to Truman Lake and the opportunities it gave for duck hunting. He enjoyed the beauty of nature in this place and getting to feed the song birds as well as the animals that came around. He was a lifetime member of the NRA and a member of NARFE Chapter 1980. He served as president of the Lakeshore Estates Association for a number of years. He loved his Lord and was a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Shawnee, Kansas. In all his married years and moving from job to job he maintained his membership in the denomination and served in rolls of elder, deacon and church treasurer at various times. On April 15, 1949 he married Elizabeth (Libbie) Faye Dougherty and to this union 3 children were born. He was preceded in death by his parents, 3 brothers and 1 sister and his daughter Kathleen Michelle Robinson. He is survived by his wife, son, David Bruce Maine and wife Patty and son Kevin Robert Maine; also 6 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.