Robert Van Gundy

LAKE WALES, Fla. - Lt. Col. Robert Elmer (RE, Bob, "Bud", "Bootsie") Van Gundy (given name Elmer Henry) of Lake Wales, Fla., age 96 exactly, passed away from heart failure on Friday, December 17, 2010, with family comforting him to the end. His wife of 72 years, Gladys, age 93, passed 1 year ago. Born in Sullivan, Ill. on December 17, 1914, Lt Col. Van Gundy served our country during WWII as an active duty pilot in many missions such as submarine patrol as well as personal pilot for General Curtis LeMay. When given the opportunity to return home, he reenlisted; retiring from the Air Force in 1976 with 37 years of service. His professional life consisted primarily in the business of casualty insurance adjusting, but also included an entrepreneurial flair with his ownership of a service station, construction and salvage company, and most recently he owned the Winter Haven and Lakeland Dairy Queen franchises. Recent years have found him cruising the Caribbean, fishing in Alaska, attending Illinois family reunions, working in his wood shop making toy boxes for great-grandkids and writing his memoirs that will be published for family and friends in the future. He and Gladys moved to central Florida from St. Cloud, Minn. 46 years ago. While with us, Lt. Col. Van Gundy also officially reached the lofty title of Great Great Grandfather, although everyone that called him great grandfather, grandfather, father, uncle, brother and son, knew he was "Great Great" all along. When Lt. Col. Van Gundy met a stranger, he embraced them instantly as family. He was frugal but generous, stern but loving, opinionated but forgiving, and an all-around hero and role model to those who knew him. Lt. Col. Van Gundy is survived by siblings Jack Van Gundy, J.D. Van Gundy, Doris Webb and Maxine Arthur of Mattoon, Ill.; son Jerry Van Gundy and wife Gail of Cumming, Ga.; daughter Mitzi Rauth and husband Ken of Lake Wales, Fla., 6 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great-grandchild. At his request, he was cremated and his ashes will be interred beside Gladys during a service sometime in early Spring at Bushnell Military Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at the First Christian Church in Mattoon at 9 a.m. Monday, December 27, 2011. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Honor Flight Network, a non-profit close to Lt. Col. Van Gundy's heart, created to "honor America's veterans for all their sacrifices." Honor Flight gave Lt. Col. Van Gundy an amazing trip to DC last Spring to visit the WWII Memorial: www.honorflight.org. Donations to Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia are also an option: www.habitat-ncg.org.