Robert H. Grundy

Robert H. "Bo" Grundy 94, Plainfield, passed away September 9, 2006. He was born May 31, 1912 in Peoria, Illinois. He started flying in 1927 at Varney School of Flight at Mount Hawley Airport, Peoria, Illinois. He traveled to Central America and flew with TACA Airlines in the mid 1930's. He dusted cotton with the Delta Cotton Corporation in the late 1930's. While working for Delta a Huff Daylan he was flying caught fire and crashed. Now restored the plane was presented to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and presently hangs in Delta's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. During WWII, he was the Assistant Chief Civilian pilot of the 311th Aircraft Detachment, located at Curtis Steinburg Airport in East St. Louis, Illinois, providing basic flight training for Army Air Corps cadets. Mr. Grundy was a Civil Aeronautics Administration Aeronautical Inspector from 1943 to 1945. His experience allowed him to transfer to the CAA's Indianapolis Technical Development Center for the Civil Aeronautics Administration and became a Test Pilot from 1945 to 1960. He was instrumental in the successful completion of the "One Year Mandate" for the development of the VOR airways navigation system that is still in use world wide today. During his time as test pilot, he had the opportunity to fly on a regular basis a 247 Boeing that Roscoe Turner and Clyde Pangbourne flew in the first London to Melbourne Race of 1934. The plane is presently hanging in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. After retiring from flying in 1960, he became a farmer and actively farmed through 1972 when he retired. He remained actively involved with the family farm until 2001. He was a member of and former Governor of the Quiet Birdman Aviation Fraternity, OX-5 Club, Early Bird Association, Top of the World Club of 1951 and the Indiana Nut Growers Association. In 1990 he was selected to the OX-5 Aviation Pioneers Hall of Fame. Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Marjorie Grundy; sons, James (Diane) Grundy of Hickory Corners, MI, Joel (Margit) Grundy of Huntington Beach, CA, Denny (Patricia) Grundy of Trabuco Canyan, CA and a daughter, Kathleen (Don) Knuth of Plainfield, IN. and 9 grandchildren. Visitation will be at Hampton-Gentry Funeral Home in Plainfield from 2:00-5:00 p.m., on Tuesday, September 12. Burial will be at Springdale Cemetery, Peoria, Illinois. In lieu of flowers please make contributions to the EAA Young Eagles Program. EAA Attn. Development P.O. Box 3086 Oshkosh, WI. 54903. www.hamptongentry.com