Robert Donovan "Bob" Babylon, age 95, passed away on Monday, May 3, 2010, in his apartment at John Knox Village.
While Bob's health had been a issue for some time, he still met every day with a determined outlook, negotiating life on his own terms.
Bob was born on November 28, 1914, in Altona, Missouri, to Joseph Burris Babylon and Josephine Dora Nance Babylon. Except for his service in WWII and immediately after his honorable discharge in California in 1945, he was a life-long resident of Missouri. He proudly served in the US Navy, after enlisting in May of 1942 and was Chief Petty Officer and Head Radio Man on the destroyer, the USS Anthony, serving in the Pacific theater of operations for two years. Shortly before his separation from the Navy, while on leave, he married Bettye Lou Venable, from Slater, Missouri, on October 31, 1944.
When Bob began his 30 year career as a radio/telephone maintainer for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, he and Bettye settled on 7 acres in east Independence. When he retired from the railroad in 1981, Bob remained on his property on Holke Road until moving to John Knox Village in 2002.
He was a current member of the Hidden Valley Christian Union Church. He was active in a number of organizations, including VFW Post #1738, IBEW Local #1832, the Boy Scouts of America and Warrior Great Stalking Horned Owl in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. He was a former organizer of Troop 604 in the Pathfinder District and active in the last 16 years with Troop 203 in the Blue Elk District. He was able to share his love of scouting with several grandsons, helping them reach their goals of Eagle Scout.
One of Bob's passions was as an avid Ham Radio Operator, and his call letters of W0EZM were familiar to many around the world. He was formerly active with the Civil Defense and was a member of the PHD Amateur Radio Assoc. in Kansas City and did amateur radio testing for licenses in Independence. During many Santa-Cali-Gon festivals, he manned the Lost Child Booth and volunteered for the MS150.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Halford Wade Babylon, his wife of 45 years, Bettye, and one grandson, Robert Benton Fain.
He is survived by two sisters, Wilma Mouser of Shawnee, Kan., and Hazel Reichel of Stilwell, Kan.; sister-in-law, Nellie Jones and husband Ken of Lee's Summit; six daughters, Patricia Harves and husband Ray of Lee's Summit, Janet Fain and husband Bill of Blue Springs, Susan Babylon of Peculiar, Pam Gulick of Blue Springs, Trudy Arnold and husband Loyd of Independence, and Janelle Caulkins and husband Don of Cocoa, Fla. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and nine great great-grandchildren.
Bob was loved by all he met. He had a passion for life, whether it was riding his motorcycle cross country, a heated political debate with family and good friends or hunting and fishing. As they say in the Navy, "Fair Winds and Following Seas,"… you will be missed…
Services will be held at Mt. Moriah & Freeman Chapel, 10507 Holmes Road in Kansas City, with visitation on Saturday, May 8, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and funeral service on Sunday, May 9, at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be sent to the Hidden Valley Christian Union Church, 17500 Hidden Valley Road, Independence, Mo 64057.
While Bob's health had been a issue for some time, he still met every day with a determined outlook, negotiating life on his own terms.
Bob was born on November 28, 1914, in Altona, Missouri, to Joseph Burris Babylon and Josephine Dora Nance Babylon. Except for his service in WWII and immediately after his honorable discharge in California in 1945, he was a life-long resident of Missouri. He proudly served in the US Navy, after enlisting in May of 1942 and was Chief Petty Officer and Head Radio Man on the destroyer, the USS Anthony, serving in the Pacific theater of operations for two years. Shortly before his separation from the Navy, while on leave, he married Bettye Lou Venable, from Slater, Missouri, on October 31, 1944.
When Bob began his 30 year career as a radio/telephone maintainer for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, he and Bettye settled on 7 acres in east Independence. When he retired from the railroad in 1981, Bob remained on his property on Holke Road until moving to John Knox Village in 2002.
He was a current member of the Hidden Valley Christian Union Church. He was active in a number of organizations, including VFW Post #1738, IBEW Local #1832, the Boy Scouts of America and Warrior Great Stalking Horned Owl in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. He was a former organizer of Troop 604 in the Pathfinder District and active in the last 16 years with Troop 203 in the Blue Elk District. He was able to share his love of scouting with several grandsons, helping them reach their goals of Eagle Scout.
One of Bob's passions was as an avid Ham Radio Operator, and his call letters of W0EZM were familiar to many around the world. He was formerly active with the Civil Defense and was a member of the PHD Amateur Radio Assoc. in Kansas City and did amateur radio testing for licenses in Independence. During many Santa-Cali-Gon festivals, he manned the Lost Child Booth and volunteered for the MS150.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Halford Wade Babylon, his wife of 45 years, Bettye, and one grandson, Robert Benton Fain.
He is survived by two sisters, Wilma Mouser of Shawnee, Kan., and Hazel Reichel of Stilwell, Kan.; sister-in-law, Nellie Jones and husband Ken of Lee's Summit; six daughters, Patricia Harves and husband Ray of Lee's Summit, Janet Fain and husband Bill of Blue Springs, Susan Babylon of Peculiar, Pam Gulick of Blue Springs, Trudy Arnold and husband Loyd of Independence, and Janelle Caulkins and husband Don of Cocoa, Fla. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and nine great great-grandchildren.
Bob was loved by all he met. He had a passion for life, whether it was riding his motorcycle cross country, a heated political debate with family and good friends or hunting and fishing. As they say in the Navy, "Fair Winds and Following Seas,"… you will be missed…
Services will be held at Mt. Moriah & Freeman Chapel, 10507 Holmes Road in Kansas City, with visitation on Saturday, May 8, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and funeral service on Sunday, May 9, at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be sent to the Hidden Valley Christian Union Church, 17500 Hidden Valley Road, Independence, Mo 64057.
Robert Donovan "Bob" Babylon, age 95, passed away on Monday, May 3, 2010, in his apartment at John Knox Village.
While Bob's health had been a issue for some time, he still met every day with a determined outlook, negotiating life on his own terms.
Bob was born on November 28, 1914, in Altona, Missouri, to Joseph Burris Babylon and Josephine Dora Nance Babylon. Except for his service in WWII and immediately after his honorable discharge in California in 1945, he was a life-long resident of Missouri. He proudly served in the US Navy, after enlisting in May of 1942 and was Chief Petty Officer and Head Radio Man on the destroyer, the USS Anthony, serving in the Pacific theater of operations for two years. Shortly before his separation from the Navy, while on leave, he married Bettye Lou Venable, from Slater, Missouri, on October 31, 1944.
When Bob began his 30 year career as a radio/telephone maintainer for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, he and Bettye settled on 7 acres in east Independence. When he retired from the railroad in 1981, Bob remained on his property on Holke Road until moving to John Knox Village in 2002.
He was a current member of the Hidden Valley Christian Union Church. He was active in a number of organizations, including VFW Post #1738, IBEW Local #1832, the Boy Scouts of America and Warrior Great Stalking Horned Owl in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. He was a former organizer of Troop 604 in the Pathfinder District and active in the last 16 years with Troop 203 in the Blue Elk District. He was able to share his love of scouting with several grandsons, helping them reach their goals of Eagle Scout.
One of Bob's passions was as an avid Ham Radio Operator, and his call letters of W0EZM were familiar to many around the world. He was formerly active with the Civil Defense and was a member of the PHD Amateur Radio Assoc. in Kansas City and did amateur radio testing for licenses in Independence. During many Santa-Cali-Gon festivals, he manned the Lost Child Booth and volunteered for the MS150.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Halford Wade Babylon, his wife of 45 years, Bettye, and one grandson, Robert Benton Fain.
He is survived by two sisters, Wilma Mouser of Shawnee, Kan., and Hazel Reichel of Stilwell, Kan.; sister-in-law, Nellie Jones and husband Ken of Lee's Summit; six daughters, Patricia Harves and husband Ray of Lee's Summit, Janet Fain and husband Bill of Blue Springs, Susan Babylon of Peculiar, Pam Gulick of Blue Springs, Trudy Arnold and husband Loyd of Independence, and Janelle Caulkins and husband Don of Cocoa, Fla. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and nine great great-grandchildren.
Bob was loved by all he met. He had a passion for life, whether it was riding his motorcycle cross country, a heated political debate with family and good friends or hunting and fishing. As they say in the Navy, "Fair Winds and Following Seas,"… you will be missed…
Services will be held at Mt. Moriah & Freeman Chapel, 10507 Holmes Road in Kansas City, with visitation on Saturday, May 8, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and funeral service on Sunday, May 9, at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be sent to the Hidden Valley Christian Union Church, 17500 Hidden Valley Road, Independence, Mo 64057.
While Bob's health had been a issue for some time, he still met every day with a determined outlook, negotiating life on his own terms.
Bob was born on November 28, 1914, in Altona, Missouri, to Joseph Burris Babylon and Josephine Dora Nance Babylon. Except for his service in WWII and immediately after his honorable discharge in California in 1945, he was a life-long resident of Missouri. He proudly served in the US Navy, after enlisting in May of 1942 and was Chief Petty Officer and Head Radio Man on the destroyer, the USS Anthony, serving in the Pacific theater of operations for two years. Shortly before his separation from the Navy, while on leave, he married Bettye Lou Venable, from Slater, Missouri, on October 31, 1944.
When Bob began his 30 year career as a radio/telephone maintainer for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, he and Bettye settled on 7 acres in east Independence. When he retired from the railroad in 1981, Bob remained on his property on Holke Road until moving to John Knox Village in 2002.
He was a current member of the Hidden Valley Christian Union Church. He was active in a number of organizations, including VFW Post #1738, IBEW Local #1832, the Boy Scouts of America and Warrior Great Stalking Horned Owl in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. He was a former organizer of Troop 604 in the Pathfinder District and active in the last 16 years with Troop 203 in the Blue Elk District. He was able to share his love of scouting with several grandsons, helping them reach their goals of Eagle Scout.
One of Bob's passions was as an avid Ham Radio Operator, and his call letters of W0EZM were familiar to many around the world. He was formerly active with the Civil Defense and was a member of the PHD Amateur Radio Assoc. in Kansas City and did amateur radio testing for licenses in Independence. During many Santa-Cali-Gon festivals, he manned the Lost Child Booth and volunteered for the MS150.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Halford Wade Babylon, his wife of 45 years, Bettye, and one grandson, Robert Benton Fain.
He is survived by two sisters, Wilma Mouser of Shawnee, Kan., and Hazel Reichel of Stilwell, Kan.; sister-in-law, Nellie Jones and husband Ken of Lee's Summit; six daughters, Patricia Harves and husband Ray of Lee's Summit, Janet Fain and husband Bill of Blue Springs, Susan Babylon of Peculiar, Pam Gulick of Blue Springs, Trudy Arnold and husband Loyd of Independence, and Janelle Caulkins and husband Don of Cocoa, Fla. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and nine great great-grandchildren.
Bob was loved by all he met. He had a passion for life, whether it was riding his motorcycle cross country, a heated political debate with family and good friends or hunting and fishing. As they say in the Navy, "Fair Winds and Following Seas,"… you will be missed…
Services will be held at Mt. Moriah & Freeman Chapel, 10507 Holmes Road in Kansas City, with visitation on Saturday, May 8, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and funeral service on Sunday, May 9, at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be sent to the Hidden Valley Christian Union Church, 17500 Hidden Valley Road, Independence, Mo 64057.
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