Robert Gaskin, EAHS Class of 1946, Korean War Veteran, Avid Fisherman
Nov. 29, 1928 - Nov. 27, 2012
Former East Aurora resident Robert Richard Gaskin died peacefully in Tigard, Ore., on Tues., Nov. 27, 2012, two days shy of his 84th birthday. He was a resident of Pacific Health and Rehabilitation where he was under hospice care, finally succumbing to lung and brain cancer. He had moved to Tigard in July to spend his last days near his son, Robert Lyman Gaskin, also of Tigard.
Born in Watertown, he was the eldest son of Nina (Cordiner) and Robert DeVolson Gaskin. He grew up during the Great Depression and helped earn his own spending money by selling magazines and seed packets door to door as a young boy. Ever enterprising, he and his friends would also spend their Saturday mornings scavenging garbage cans, as it was junk day in East Aurora. Discarded soda bottles with deposits on them brought good income, as did the better scrap metals such as copper.
He worked throughout high school as a field hand on the Campbell and Hubbard estates, an experience he spoke of fondly until a few days before his death. With his friend Robert Smith, he also earned extra money by trapping animals in the early winter and selling the pelts to local fur traders who would come down from Buffalo. He would trap south of town along several miles of Cazenovia creek, while his friend would work the Sinking Ponds area. Mr. Gaskin graduated from East Aurora High School in 1946 with more than $2000 he saved from his endeavors.
A 1955 graduate of the University at Buffalo with a degree in American history and government, Mr. Gaskin previously attended the University of Idaho in Moscow for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army at Fort Lewis, Wash. He attended basic training at Fort Ord, Calif., and was stationed on Eta Jima Island in Japan where he ran a radio repair depot during the Korean War.
After graduating from UB, he moved to Batavia and worked for Sylvania Corporation as an electronics technician. He met his wife, the former Gaye Fortner, in Batavia and after a brief courtship, they eloped to West Virginia to be married on April 29, 1956. All three children were born in Batavia where he continued to work for Sylvania and later General Dynamics. In 1960 he moved to Skaneateles and worked for the Ampex Corporation as a sales engineer for the Western New York region. He later moved to Los Angeles, then San Jose in 1974, where he finished his career as a market analyst specializing in the computer storage industry for now defunct Dataquest Corporation. In 1993, after being laid off from Dataquest, he and his wife retired to Dover, Tenn., where they had purchased a mobile home to retire and to be closer to their daughter and grandson, and for its fishing and outdoor recreational opportunities.
A year after moving to Tennessee, Mrs. Gaskin died suddenly in their home on Oct. 12, 1994. Mr. Gaskin chose to remain in Dover until he was no longer able to care for himself.
He was a member of the American Legion Post 89 and Amvets Post 45 where he spent many years as the club photographer and historian. He was also an accomplished radio control model airplane builder and flyer and enjoyed surfing the Internet searching for old friends and acquaintances as well as keeping up on the news.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Gaskin was preceded in death by a son, Douglas DeVolson Gaskin, on May 25 1993; and two brothers, Thomas Gaskin and Roger Gaskin.
He is survived by his son Robert Lyman (Sharon) Gaskin of Tigard; a daughter, Candace Webb of Hendersonville, Tenn.; a brother, David Gaskin of Lebanon, N.H.; his grandson, Robert Webb of Hendersonville; and various nieces and nephews.
Per his request, Mr. Gaskin's body was cremated and his ashes will be scattered on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee during a small private ceremony this spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or any local humane society location. Share condolences by emailing [email protected] or by calling Robert L. Gaskin at (360) 359-2678.
Nov. 29, 1928 - Nov. 27, 2012
Former East Aurora resident Robert Richard Gaskin died peacefully in Tigard, Ore., on Tues., Nov. 27, 2012, two days shy of his 84th birthday. He was a resident of Pacific Health and Rehabilitation where he was under hospice care, finally succumbing to lung and brain cancer. He had moved to Tigard in July to spend his last days near his son, Robert Lyman Gaskin, also of Tigard.
Born in Watertown, he was the eldest son of Nina (Cordiner) and Robert DeVolson Gaskin. He grew up during the Great Depression and helped earn his own spending money by selling magazines and seed packets door to door as a young boy. Ever enterprising, he and his friends would also spend their Saturday mornings scavenging garbage cans, as it was junk day in East Aurora. Discarded soda bottles with deposits on them brought good income, as did the better scrap metals such as copper.
He worked throughout high school as a field hand on the Campbell and Hubbard estates, an experience he spoke of fondly until a few days before his death. With his friend Robert Smith, he also earned extra money by trapping animals in the early winter and selling the pelts to local fur traders who would come down from Buffalo. He would trap south of town along several miles of Cazenovia creek, while his friend would work the Sinking Ponds area. Mr. Gaskin graduated from East Aurora High School in 1946 with more than $2000 he saved from his endeavors.
A 1955 graduate of the University at Buffalo with a degree in American history and government, Mr. Gaskin previously attended the University of Idaho in Moscow for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army at Fort Lewis, Wash. He attended basic training at Fort Ord, Calif., and was stationed on Eta Jima Island in Japan where he ran a radio repair depot during the Korean War.
After graduating from UB, he moved to Batavia and worked for Sylvania Corporation as an electronics technician. He met his wife, the former Gaye Fortner, in Batavia and after a brief courtship, they eloped to West Virginia to be married on April 29, 1956. All three children were born in Batavia where he continued to work for Sylvania and later General Dynamics. In 1960 he moved to Skaneateles and worked for the Ampex Corporation as a sales engineer for the Western New York region. He later moved to Los Angeles, then San Jose in 1974, where he finished his career as a market analyst specializing in the computer storage industry for now defunct Dataquest Corporation. In 1993, after being laid off from Dataquest, he and his wife retired to Dover, Tenn., where they had purchased a mobile home to retire and to be closer to their daughter and grandson, and for its fishing and outdoor recreational opportunities.
A year after moving to Tennessee, Mrs. Gaskin died suddenly in their home on Oct. 12, 1994. Mr. Gaskin chose to remain in Dover until he was no longer able to care for himself.
He was a member of the American Legion Post 89 and Amvets Post 45 where he spent many years as the club photographer and historian. He was also an accomplished radio control model airplane builder and flyer and enjoyed surfing the Internet searching for old friends and acquaintances as well as keeping up on the news.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Gaskin was preceded in death by a son, Douglas DeVolson Gaskin, on May 25 1993; and two brothers, Thomas Gaskin and Roger Gaskin.
He is survived by his son Robert Lyman (Sharon) Gaskin of Tigard; a daughter, Candace Webb of Hendersonville, Tenn.; a brother, David Gaskin of Lebanon, N.H.; his grandson, Robert Webb of Hendersonville; and various nieces and nephews.
Per his request, Mr. Gaskin's body was cremated and his ashes will be scattered on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee during a small private ceremony this spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or any local humane society location. Share condolences by emailing [email protected] or by calling Robert L. Gaskin at (360) 359-2678.
Robert Gaskin, EAHS Class of 1946, Korean War Veteran, Avid Fisherman
Nov. 29, 1928 - Nov. 27, 2012
Former East Aurora resident Robert Richard Gaskin died peacefully in Tigard, Ore., on Tues., Nov. 27, 2012, two days shy of his 84th birthday. He was a resident of Pacific Health and Rehabilitation where he was under hospice care, finally succumbing to lung and brain cancer. He had moved to Tigard in July to spend his last days near his son, Robert Lyman Gaskin, also of Tigard.
Born in Watertown, he was the eldest son of Nina (Cordiner) and Robert DeVolson Gaskin. He grew up during the Great Depression and helped earn his own spending money by selling magazines and seed packets door to door as a young boy. Ever enterprising, he and his friends would also spend their Saturday mornings scavenging garbage cans, as it was junk day in East Aurora. Discarded soda bottles with deposits on them brought good income, as did the better scrap metals such as copper.
He worked throughout high school as a field hand on the Campbell and Hubbard estates, an experience he spoke of fondly until a few days before his death. With his friend Robert Smith, he also earned extra money by trapping animals in the early winter and selling the pelts to local fur traders who would come down from Buffalo. He would trap south of town along several miles of Cazenovia creek, while his friend would work the Sinking Ponds area. Mr. Gaskin graduated from East Aurora High School in 1946 with more than $2000 he saved from his endeavors.
A 1955 graduate of the University at Buffalo with a degree in American history and government, Mr. Gaskin previously attended the University of Idaho in Moscow for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army at Fort Lewis, Wash. He attended basic training at Fort Ord, Calif., and was stationed on Eta Jima Island in Japan where he ran a radio repair depot during the Korean War.
After graduating from UB, he moved to Batavia and worked for Sylvania Corporation as an electronics technician. He met his wife, the former Gaye Fortner, in Batavia and after a brief courtship, they eloped to West Virginia to be married on April 29, 1956. All three children were born in Batavia where he continued to work for Sylvania and later General Dynamics. In 1960 he moved to Skaneateles and worked for the Ampex Corporation as a sales engineer for the Western New York region. He later moved to Los Angeles, then San Jose in 1974, where he finished his career as a market analyst specializing in the computer storage industry for now defunct Dataquest Corporation. In 1993, after being laid off from Dataquest, he and his wife retired to Dover, Tenn., where they had purchased a mobile home to retire and to be closer to their daughter and grandson, and for its fishing and outdoor recreational opportunities.
A year after moving to Tennessee, Mrs. Gaskin died suddenly in their home on Oct. 12, 1994. Mr. Gaskin chose to remain in Dover until he was no longer able to care for himself.
He was a member of the American Legion Post 89 and Amvets Post 45 where he spent many years as the club photographer and historian. He was also an accomplished radio control model airplane builder and flyer and enjoyed surfing the Internet searching for old friends and acquaintances as well as keeping up on the news.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Gaskin was preceded in death by a son, Douglas DeVolson Gaskin, on May 25 1993; and two brothers, Thomas Gaskin and Roger Gaskin.
He is survived by his son Robert Lyman (Sharon) Gaskin of Tigard; a daughter, Candace Webb of Hendersonville, Tenn.; a brother, David Gaskin of Lebanon, N.H.; his grandson, Robert Webb of Hendersonville; and various nieces and nephews.
Per his request, Mr. Gaskin's body was cremated and his ashes will be scattered on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee during a small private ceremony this spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or any local humane society location. Share condolences by emailing [email protected] or by calling Robert L. Gaskin at (360) 359-2678.
Nov. 29, 1928 - Nov. 27, 2012
Former East Aurora resident Robert Richard Gaskin died peacefully in Tigard, Ore., on Tues., Nov. 27, 2012, two days shy of his 84th birthday. He was a resident of Pacific Health and Rehabilitation where he was under hospice care, finally succumbing to lung and brain cancer. He had moved to Tigard in July to spend his last days near his son, Robert Lyman Gaskin, also of Tigard.
Born in Watertown, he was the eldest son of Nina (Cordiner) and Robert DeVolson Gaskin. He grew up during the Great Depression and helped earn his own spending money by selling magazines and seed packets door to door as a young boy. Ever enterprising, he and his friends would also spend their Saturday mornings scavenging garbage cans, as it was junk day in East Aurora. Discarded soda bottles with deposits on them brought good income, as did the better scrap metals such as copper.
He worked throughout high school as a field hand on the Campbell and Hubbard estates, an experience he spoke of fondly until a few days before his death. With his friend Robert Smith, he also earned extra money by trapping animals in the early winter and selling the pelts to local fur traders who would come down from Buffalo. He would trap south of town along several miles of Cazenovia creek, while his friend would work the Sinking Ponds area. Mr. Gaskin graduated from East Aurora High School in 1946 with more than $2000 he saved from his endeavors.
A 1955 graduate of the University at Buffalo with a degree in American history and government, Mr. Gaskin previously attended the University of Idaho in Moscow for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army at Fort Lewis, Wash. He attended basic training at Fort Ord, Calif., and was stationed on Eta Jima Island in Japan where he ran a radio repair depot during the Korean War.
After graduating from UB, he moved to Batavia and worked for Sylvania Corporation as an electronics technician. He met his wife, the former Gaye Fortner, in Batavia and after a brief courtship, they eloped to West Virginia to be married on April 29, 1956. All three children were born in Batavia where he continued to work for Sylvania and later General Dynamics. In 1960 he moved to Skaneateles and worked for the Ampex Corporation as a sales engineer for the Western New York region. He later moved to Los Angeles, then San Jose in 1974, where he finished his career as a market analyst specializing in the computer storage industry for now defunct Dataquest Corporation. In 1993, after being laid off from Dataquest, he and his wife retired to Dover, Tenn., where they had purchased a mobile home to retire and to be closer to their daughter and grandson, and for its fishing and outdoor recreational opportunities.
A year after moving to Tennessee, Mrs. Gaskin died suddenly in their home on Oct. 12, 1994. Mr. Gaskin chose to remain in Dover until he was no longer able to care for himself.
He was a member of the American Legion Post 89 and Amvets Post 45 where he spent many years as the club photographer and historian. He was also an accomplished radio control model airplane builder and flyer and enjoyed surfing the Internet searching for old friends and acquaintances as well as keeping up on the news.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Gaskin was preceded in death by a son, Douglas DeVolson Gaskin, on May 25 1993; and two brothers, Thomas Gaskin and Roger Gaskin.
He is survived by his son Robert Lyman (Sharon) Gaskin of Tigard; a daughter, Candace Webb of Hendersonville, Tenn.; a brother, David Gaskin of Lebanon, N.H.; his grandson, Robert Webb of Hendersonville; and various nieces and nephews.
Per his request, Mr. Gaskin's body was cremated and his ashes will be scattered on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee during a small private ceremony this spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or any local humane society location. Share condolences by emailing [email protected] or by calling Robert L. Gaskin at (360) 359-2678.
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