ROBERT B. CASTOR

Kansas City, Kansas, has lost one of its finest sons and a member of the greatest generation. Robert B. Castor died on May 20, 2014. Bob Castor was born on February 22, 1923 in Kansas City, MO. His family moved to Kansas City, KS where Bob attended Hawthorne Grade School, Northwest Junior High and Wyandotte High School. Six months after graduating, WWII broke out, and Bob joined the U.S. Army Air Corps while a student at Kansas State University. Bob was an accomplished piano player. During college, Bob had a band that played in Manhattan and other small communities throughout central Kansas. Bob was proud of the fact that he earned half of his tuition at K-State by being a musician. Bob was also a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity at K-State. In 1943, Bob was called to active duty with the U.S. Army Air Corps and proceeded through a series of training facilities that concluded with his receiving B-24 Liberator training in Liberal, KS. Bob always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but he was more than 6 feet tall. In early 1945, Bob was assigned a crew in Pueblo, CO, and proceeded to fly to England where he was a member of the 8th U.S. Army Air Corps (8th Air Force). He was immediately sent on missions to bomb enemy targets in France. Bob had one harrowing experience. He had to crash land a B- 24 in Orleans, France, after having been hit by inadvertent friendly fire. His entire crew survived the crash, and they were quickly repatriated to England. Following WWII and release from active duty, Bob married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Gloria Nelson, in 1945. Bob enrolled at the University of Kansas where he completed his undergraduate degree, Bob then enrolled in the University of Kansas School of Law where he received a JD degree in 1948. Following graduation from law school, Bob sat for the Kansas Bar Exam and was admitted to practice in state and federal courts in Kansas. However, Bob chose to not go into the active practice of law and instead went to work for Bennett Construction Company. Later Bob worked for Clarkson Construction Company and retired in 1990. Community activities were always important for Bob. Trinity United Methodist Church and KU were all high priority. Bob and Gloria attended KU football and basketball games with friends for more than 25 years. Bob was Treasurer and a member of the Board of Trustees of Trinity Community Church. The love of Bob's life predeceased him in 2008 and his oldest daughter Pamela Roberts died in 2010. He is survived by his son, Rob Castor, and two grandsons, Keegan and Dylan, his daughter, Melinda C. Korte and husband Michael and children, Whitney, Hilary, Cameron and Kelsey, Pamela's husband Roger Roberts, D.O., and their two sons, Matthew and Burke Tilton, and his seven great grandchildren, Sterling, Miller, Kayson, Dru, Chloe, Charlotte and Elizabeth. A funeral service will be held beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 24 at Trinity Community Church, 5010 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, KS, where the visitation will be held from 1:00-2:00 p.m. The family suggests memorial contributions to Trinity United Methodist Church or the University of Kansas Endowment Association. Condolences may be expressed at: www.porterfuneralhome.com Arrangements: Porter Funeral Home, 1835 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, KS. 913-621-6400 P