Robert N. Pyle

PYLE ROBERT NOBLE PYLE October 23, 1926 - March 18, 2010 Robert "Bob" Pyle was born to Laverne Ruth Noble and Joseph Lybrand Pyle in Wilmington Delaware. He graduated from the Tower Hill School, Wilmington with high honors and received a student award from Time Magazine. He completed Dickenson College in 1948 on the GI Bill with service in World War II where he attended Japanese Language School at the University of Michigan. He also wrote for Stars and Stripes and was called "Little Ernie" with assignments covering the Nuremberg War trials and the Paris Peace Conference. After Dickenson, in 1949, he attended Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Pyle came to Washington, DC with Wilmington Congressman Herbert Warburton (R-DE) in the mid 1950''s and later served on the campaign and as Chief of Staff to Representative Perkins Bass (R-NH). He left Capitol Hill in the early 1960s to found a construction business in Severna Park, Maryland. In 1972, Pyle returned to Capitol Hill serving as Chief of Staff to Congressman David Emery (R-ME) and as field staff to Republican Congressional Committee. Mr. Pyle was a campaign consultant to the Republican National Committee advising over fifty congressional, senatorial and gubernatorial campaigns throughout New England, the South and the Midwest. Mr. Pyle has been the subject of a front page article in The Wall Street Journal and a televised Bill Moyer''s Journal political piece. He also served as an advisor to the Dole for President Campaign in 1988. In 1974, a year that saw many Republicans swept from office due to Watergate, he managed two winning campaigns for Representatives Ben Gilman (R-NY) and Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY). These were two of the three so called "Watergate Babies." In the mid 1970''s, Pyle started a government relations firm and consulted with the American Bakers Association as the Republican lobbyist. In 1976, the Independent Bakers Association tapped Pyle to run a meeting in Washington, DC and later he became their President. He held this position for 29 years. During this time, Pyle lobbied Congress on numerous issues critical to the baking industry, ending Federal production controls over wheat and peanut markets. His greatest victory was the end to the expensive wheat certificate tax on which bakers paid the Federal Government a tax based on flour weight consumption. In addition to the bakers, Pyle represented other food companies including Welch''s. The family joke was that "between bread and grape juice - Pyle had communion covered with Congress." He was a founding director of the Small Business Legislative Council. Mr. Pyle served as Chairman of the International Eye Foundation Ball in 2003 and was the Secretary-Treasurer of the Bulgarian-American Business Center. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan named Pyle to the Selective Service Commission and he served as a local host on many Republican Inaugural Committees. He loved Republican Conventions and attended every one since 1950 most recently serving as floor security in Minneapolis in 2008. Bob remained politically active, recently teaching a popular public affairs class at Palm Desert Senior Center. Robert Pyle was an avid tennis player and golfer playing almost daily since residing in La Quinta in 2002. He was a world traveler and the family genealogist. He dabbled in real estate in both Washington, DC and the greater Palm Springs areas. Bob was an active member of Palm Desert Presbyterian Church, Palm Desert Country Club, Kenwood Country Club, City Tavern Club, Dublin Lake Club, National Press Club and La Quinta Country Club. Bob is survived by his wife, Patricia Carlile Pyle. He is also survived by his children, Sarah Moore, Dr. Robert Noble Jr., Mark C. and Nicholas A., children of Edith Ayrault Rose and Louis Crosier, son of Claire Thoron. He is also survived by nine grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made out to the Independent Bakers Association Memorial Internship Fund, c/o IBA, Post Office Box 3731, Washington, DC 20027. TENTATIVE - A viewing will be held at on Tuesday, March 23 at Forrest Lawn Funeral Home in Palm Springs, California and a memorial service Wednesday morning, March 24 at Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church.