Robert "Bob" Tice

Robert "Bob" Tice, 75, of Iron Mountain, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, March 6, 2011, after a courageous battle with cancer. Bob was born on March 29, 1935. in St. Louis, Mo, son of the late John and Viola Tice. His childhood years were spent residing in Tulsa, Okla. and San Francisco. He was an ROTC commander for two terms while attending the University of California, San Jose and graduated in 1960 with a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering. Bob proudly served our country as a skilled fighter pilot in the U.S. military for five years. He flew 160 combat sorties in Vietnam as a U.S. Air Force captain. He earned numerous honors including Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Medal of Honor with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon. Bob married his best friend, Marsha Van Middlesworth, on June 28, 1982. Together they resided in Barrington, Ill., Orcas Island, Wash., and settled in Iron Mountain, in 1996. He left a remarkable legacy in each hometown. Bob was employed as a pilot with American Airlines in 1965 and moved through the ranks to become an international captain flying 767 and 757 aircrafts. His knowledge and experience led him to be check-airman for the airlines until his retirement in 1995. After retirement, he was a private pilot for five years flying corporate jets until retiring (again) in 2006. In recent years, he remained active in general aviation, sport aviation, and aviation instruction. Bob's passion for flying was undeniable. He enjoyed sharing his love of aviation by serving as a board member and pilot for Northwoods AirLifeLine, member of EAA chapter 439, co-chair of the Homebuilt Headquarters at EAA AirVenture, and board member for the south central U.P. chapter of A.C.E. Bob loved and believed in his country. He was a dedicated volunteer at the Masonic Lodge Community Breakfast in Iron Mountain where everyone was greeted with his big smile. His enthusiasm for life was contagious to anyone who crossed his path. Bob was a devoted husband, proud father, and loyal friend to many. He is survived by his wife Marsha; four children; son, Lincoln Tice and son, G. Tice, both of Los Angeles; daughter, Melissa Wells of Racine, Wis., daughter, Jessica Bjorlin of Karlstad, Sweden and three grandchildren, Louise, Andreas, and Marcus of Karlstad. Other survivors include his beloved sister, Jan Dickerson of San Francisco; son-in-law, Anthony Wells of Appleton, Wis.; sister-in-law, Susan Kleinbeck of Neodesha, Kan., and father-in-law, D.A. Van Middlesworth of Independence, Kan. A remarkable amount of support and extraordinary care was given to Bob and family during his time of illness. Special thanks to Dr. Morel and staff, Cancer Closet, providers at the V.A. hospital, Hospice (Joyce) and home aid caregivers, staff at DCH, family friends who provided spiritual support and an outreached hand in so many aspects, and everyone who followed Bob's journey and shared uplifting and heartfelt messages on his CaringBridge website. A memorial service and celebration of Bob's life will be held on Friday at the First Presbyterian Church in Kingsford. The family will be available for visitation from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and a memorial service held at 3 p.m. A reception will follow in the church fellowship hall. Flowers will be donated to the V.A. hospital for patients to enjoy and a memorial fund has been established in Bob's name with Northwoods Air LifeLine, P.O. Box 2973, Kingsford, Mich. 49802. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.caringbridge.org/visit/roberttice. Cremation services were provided by Erickson-Rochon and Nash Funeral Home.