Ret.Col. Robert E. Hite Jr.

1931 - 2024

Colonel Robert Earl "Bob" Hite, Jr., a distinguished retired Air Force officer and decorated pilot, passed away on November 3, 2024, surrounded by his family. He was 93 years old.

Bob lived an extraordinary life.

Born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, in 1931 to Robert Earl and Delle Hite, Bob began his military career in 1950 when he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving for four years before entering college to study engineering at the University of Tennessee. Upon graduating, he rejoined the Air Force as an officer, embarking on a career that would take him to the farthest reaches of the world, piloting the C-130 Hercules across some of the most challenging terrains and hostile environments in service to his country.

From delivering vital supplies to remote outposts in the Himalayas to piloting missions in combat zones in Korea and Vietnam, Bob exemplified courage and leadership. Among his most notable assignments was working with the famed oil firefighter Red Adair in Libya during the early 1960s. When Texas oil companies hired Adair to extinguish massive oil well fires, Bob's C-130 was one of the only aircraft capable of delivering firefighting supplies directly into the desert.

Throughout his career, Bob earned numerous decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the U.S. Air Force's highest honors. Over 37 years of service, he logged an impressive 7,450 flight hours, with more than 6,700 hours in the C-130.

After retiring from active duty, Bob continued to serve his community in Cartersville, Georgia, where he and his wife, Mary Lou spent many happy years before moving to Kennesaw in 2014. He shared his passion for aviation as a member of the Cartersville Pilots Association and as a dedicated leader of the Bartow County Airport Authority, contributing to the growth and safety of local aviation. Bob continued to fly long into retirement in his "pride and joy," a red-and-white Piper Cherokee.

Bob was a strong supporter of local charities and was a faithful member of his Sunday School class, Faith Builders, at First Presbyterian Church of Marietta.

He was a devoted family man. For him, home was the closest place to heaven. Saturdays in fall were cherished, as he and Mary Lou cheered on his beloved Tennessee Volunteers. Bob was also a dog lover, especially fond of Great Danes, and you could almost always find a dog in his lap.

Bob is survived by his wife, Mary Lou Hite; his son, Robert Hite III; his daughter, Nancy Hite Barker (JT); his daughters Diane Davis (Lawton), Becky England (Tennis), Sharon Gwaltney (Don), and Mary Ann Watkins Oslund (Kerry). His grandchildren include Meryll Davis, Richard Davis, Sharon Davis, Christina Livengood (John), Matthew England, Daniel England (Karen), Anna Gwaltney, Sarah Gwaltney, Alexandra Turner, and George Perkins; great-grandchildren Nathan, Jack, Ivy, and Luke England; Juniper and Bryant Livengood; and Stella and Lucy Navarro.

A celebration of life will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Marietta, GA, on Friday, November 8th, at 2:00 pm. Mayes Ward Dobbins funeral home is in charge of the arrangements.