Robert W. Fillman, 85, died Thursday, October 29, 2009 in Park Rapids.
Robert was born May 1, 1924 to Lawrence and Fern (Keeney) Fillman in Leon, Iowa. He graduated from Stuart High School, Iowa, in 1942. He immediately headed for the US army recruiting office and was trained as a navigator for B-17's. On a bombing mission over Augsburg Germany, his plane was shot down and he became a prisoner of war for 14 months. He was liberated by the Russian Army on his birthday in 1945. Robert re-enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and trained as a weather forecaster at Chanute Field, Illinois. On October 7, 1947 he was united in marriage to Thelma Fae Jolliffe of Havelock, Iowa.
Military assignments included various Midwestern bases, Newfoundland, and England. He retired from the U.S. Air Force on July 31, 1963 at Scott AFB in Illinois.
Robert moved the family to Berrien Springs Michigan and started graduate studies at Andrews University. He graduated with a Masters Degree in Counseling and Education. He worked for the State of Michigan as a counselor for many years.
Robert is survived by his wife, Thelma; children: Michael Fillman of Cherry Valley,
CA, and Jana Erickson of Park Rapids; sister Louise Baker of Des Moines, IA, seven grand children and three great grand children.
Robert's parents and his two brothers, Donald and Richard, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held on Friday Nov 6, 2009, at 2 pm in the Park Rapids Seventh-day Adventist Church. Casket-bearers will be his seven grandchildren: Lowell, Jason, Karen, Tricia, Laurella, Tanya and Kevin. Visitation will be held on Thursday Nov 5 pm from 5 – 8 pm at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids as well as one hour prior to the funeral.
Robert was born May 1, 1924 to Lawrence and Fern (Keeney) Fillman in Leon, Iowa. He graduated from Stuart High School, Iowa, in 1942. He immediately headed for the US army recruiting office and was trained as a navigator for B-17's. On a bombing mission over Augsburg Germany, his plane was shot down and he became a prisoner of war for 14 months. He was liberated by the Russian Army on his birthday in 1945. Robert re-enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and trained as a weather forecaster at Chanute Field, Illinois. On October 7, 1947 he was united in marriage to Thelma Fae Jolliffe of Havelock, Iowa.
Military assignments included various Midwestern bases, Newfoundland, and England. He retired from the U.S. Air Force on July 31, 1963 at Scott AFB in Illinois.
Robert moved the family to Berrien Springs Michigan and started graduate studies at Andrews University. He graduated with a Masters Degree in Counseling and Education. He worked for the State of Michigan as a counselor for many years.
Robert is survived by his wife, Thelma; children: Michael Fillman of Cherry Valley,
CA, and Jana Erickson of Park Rapids; sister Louise Baker of Des Moines, IA, seven grand children and three great grand children.
Robert's parents and his two brothers, Donald and Richard, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held on Friday Nov 6, 2009, at 2 pm in the Park Rapids Seventh-day Adventist Church. Casket-bearers will be his seven grandchildren: Lowell, Jason, Karen, Tricia, Laurella, Tanya and Kevin. Visitation will be held on Thursday Nov 5 pm from 5 – 8 pm at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids as well as one hour prior to the funeral.
Robert W. Fillman, 85, died Thursday, October 29, 2009 in Park Rapids.
Robert was born May 1, 1924 to Lawrence and Fern (Keeney) Fillman in Leon, Iowa. He graduated from Stuart High School, Iowa, in 1942. He immediately headed for the US army recruiting office and was trained as a navigator for B-17's. On a bombing mission over Augsburg Germany, his plane was shot down and he became a prisoner of war for 14 months. He was liberated by the Russian Army on his birthday in 1945. Robert re-enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and trained as a weather forecaster at Chanute Field, Illinois. On October 7, 1947 he was united in marriage to Thelma Fae Jolliffe of Havelock, Iowa.
Military assignments included various Midwestern bases, Newfoundland, and England. He retired from the U.S. Air Force on July 31, 1963 at Scott AFB in Illinois.
Robert moved the family to Berrien Springs Michigan and started graduate studies at Andrews University. He graduated with a Masters Degree in Counseling and Education. He worked for the State of Michigan as a counselor for many years.
Robert is survived by his wife, Thelma; children: Michael Fillman of Cherry Valley,
CA, and Jana Erickson of Park Rapids; sister Louise Baker of Des Moines, IA, seven grand children and three great grand children.
Robert's parents and his two brothers, Donald and Richard, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held on Friday Nov 6, 2009, at 2 pm in the Park Rapids Seventh-day Adventist Church. Casket-bearers will be his seven grandchildren: Lowell, Jason, Karen, Tricia, Laurella, Tanya and Kevin. Visitation will be held on Thursday Nov 5 pm from 5 – 8 pm at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids as well as one hour prior to the funeral.
Robert was born May 1, 1924 to Lawrence and Fern (Keeney) Fillman in Leon, Iowa. He graduated from Stuart High School, Iowa, in 1942. He immediately headed for the US army recruiting office and was trained as a navigator for B-17's. On a bombing mission over Augsburg Germany, his plane was shot down and he became a prisoner of war for 14 months. He was liberated by the Russian Army on his birthday in 1945. Robert re-enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and trained as a weather forecaster at Chanute Field, Illinois. On October 7, 1947 he was united in marriage to Thelma Fae Jolliffe of Havelock, Iowa.
Military assignments included various Midwestern bases, Newfoundland, and England. He retired from the U.S. Air Force on July 31, 1963 at Scott AFB in Illinois.
Robert moved the family to Berrien Springs Michigan and started graduate studies at Andrews University. He graduated with a Masters Degree in Counseling and Education. He worked for the State of Michigan as a counselor for many years.
Robert is survived by his wife, Thelma; children: Michael Fillman of Cherry Valley,
CA, and Jana Erickson of Park Rapids; sister Louise Baker of Des Moines, IA, seven grand children and three great grand children.
Robert's parents and his two brothers, Donald and Richard, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held on Friday Nov 6, 2009, at 2 pm in the Park Rapids Seventh-day Adventist Church. Casket-bearers will be his seven grandchildren: Lowell, Jason, Karen, Tricia, Laurella, Tanya and Kevin. Visitation will be held on Thursday Nov 5 pm from 5 – 8 pm at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids as well as one hour prior to the funeral.
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