Robert Cletus Ruxlow

ROBERT CLETUS RUXLOW 2/1929 - 9/13/2013 Robert Cletus Ruxlow, a Barstow resident, died quietly at home on September 13th, 2013 in the care of his family and the staff of California VNA Hospice and Home Instead Senior Care. He was born in Kirksville, Missouri in February of 1929 to Cletus J Ruxlow and Frances W (Steier) Ruxlow of that city. Robert was raised in Marshalltown, Iowa and attended Albion High School in Albion, Iowa, leaving school early to enlist in the United States Army in June of 1947. He served in Tokyo as a Radio Repairman in the Signal Corps during the postwar Occupation of Japan. On his return to civilian life, Robert began a career that was to last 33 years, first with Bendix Radio, and then it's successor company, Bendix Field Engineering. Early work assignments included locations in Montana, Greenland, and Mexico. His employment with Bendix then brought him to Barstow in 1962 when he became the Station Manager at the new Mars 210 foot antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Facility. During the 1970s, Robert completed assignments with Bendix in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, and Timaru, New Zealand, returning to Goldstone in 1978. He retired as the Goldstone Operations Manager in 1986. In his younger years, Robert enjoyed building and flying radio controlled aircraft and communicating worldwide via his Ham Radio. Building and using computers was an activity Robert enjoyed throughout his career and retirement years. He read widely with interests that included History and Science and Technology. He followed documentary and news channels on Television and the Internet, CNN being a favorite. Robert was preceded in death by his son, James Lee Ruxlow, his brother, Don Ruxlow and his wife of 17 years, Vivian Louise Ruxlow. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Mary Louise Ruxlow, his brother Tom Ruxlow of Des Moines, Iowa, son Robert (Bob) Ruxlow II of Seattle, WA, and daughters, Lynnett Ferguson of Mill City, Oregon, Mary Frances Lawrence of Las Vegas, NV, and Kim Maurer of Barstow, as well as numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, October 12th at 7:00 PM at Mead Mortuary 36930 Irwin Road, Barstow. Private interment will follow at a later date.