William Arthur Brobst Jr.

1948 - 2017

William Arthur Brobst, Jr., born June 28, 1948 in Meriden, CT, entered heaven on July 2, 2017, after a long, courageous battle with heart disease. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William Arthur Brobst, Sr. and Ardene (Herring) Brobst; his infant brother, Dennis; and his sister Susan.
When he was a child, the family moved to Frackville, PA, in the anthracite coal region, where Bill attended school. He participated in many activities and sports, including football, basketball, and track. He was also very involved in Boy Scouts and his church, St. Peter's United Church of Christ, and served as the president of the tri-county youth council.
After graduation from Frackville High School, Bill was a student at the Schuylkill Campus of Penn State University, before moving to Washington, D.C. to begin a 31-year career with what became US Airways. He moved from "working the ramp" to ticketing, then to marketing, and finally to planning and scheduling. During these years, he resided in the D.C. area; Hartford, CT; the Boston, MA area; and eventually near Pittsburgh, PA. Bill often shared anecdotes about his experiences and adventures working for the airline, and frequently said, "I should write a book."
During his working years, Bill married and became a father of a daughter, Lori and sons Adam and Paul. He was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader and was active in church and community events. With family and friends, he enjoyed hiking, boating, fishing, and hunting.
In 1999, he re-connected with a dear and long-lost high school friend, Neretta Troxell. As it happened, both were living near Pittsburgh; they married in 2001 and began a great adventure that lasted until Bill's passing.
After Bill's career with US Airways ended, he returned to school and earned certification as an HVAC technician, and next secured a Commercial Driver's License. Neretta, a teacher, retired in 2004, and the couple moved to Homosassa to enjoy the waters and warmth of the Nature Coast. Over the years, they were involved in the First United Methodist Church of Homosassa, the Crystal River Power Squadron, The B.P.O Elks, the Stone Brook HOA, and the Citrus County Sams, an RV group; Bill held offices and positions of responsibility in each of these. He was also a member of the Crystal River Order of the Moose, the Withlacoochee Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, and had been a volunteer boat driver a the Wildlife Park. He used his CDL to become a bus driver for Citrus County Transit, for which he drove veterans to the VA Hospital in Gainesville, and as a bus driver of the "Church Bus," organizing day trips for members and the youth group.
Among his many interests was boating, which he pursued with the CRPS and on his pontoon boat, the "Nittany Blue." Bill loved to fish on local lakes and rivers, as well as the Gulf; he often took friends and neighbors with him, and even groups from the Key Training Center. His other passion was RV traveling; he and his wife owned several units over the years, and "camped" their way through Florida and across the country, visiting family and friends and exploring the many wonders this nation offers. Their motto: "Do all you can, while you can."
Those who remain to remember this kind, compassionate, generous and witty man include his loving and devoted wife, Neretta; his daughter, Lore Linn and her husband, Chris of Tuscaloosa, AL; his elder son, Adam and his wife, Sujeiry, of Fresno, CA; his younger son, Paul and his wife Melissa of Lake Elsinore, CA. Other survivors include his grandsons, Hunter and Harrison Linn of AL; granddaughter Maya and grandson Adam X of CA; Father-in-law Frank Troxell of Homosassa; brother-in-law Jeffrey Troxell, of CA; step-siblings Patty Kohudic, Donald and James Dudash, of PA; Ted Dudash of FL; numerous aunts, cousins, nephews, a niece and scores of friends all over the US as well as his wonderful church family. He will be well remembered and greatly missed by all.
A memorial service for William A. Brobst, Jr., will be held Thursday, July 27, 2017 at 11AM at the First United Methodist Church of Homosassa. Attendees are asked to wear bright, tropical colors. In lieu of flowers, those who wish to remember Bill may make a donation in his name to the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, or Camp E-Nini- Hassee in Floral City, FL, or a charity of your choosing.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Brown Funeral Home & Crematory in Lecanto, FL.