Robert Henry Kubal

8/2/1932 - 2/2/2024
Robert Henry "Bob" Kubal passed away peacefully in his reading chair on Friday, February 2, 2024, at the age of 91. Robert was born on August 2, 1932 in Crown Point Indiana to parents Rosetta Kubal (Leis) and Edwin F. Kubal. He was the third of four children. Robert attended Crown Point High School and graduated class of 1950, after which he attended Purdue University, where he studied speech and communications. In 1954, after his college graduation, Robert enlisted in the army and served as an army disc jockey in both Korea and Japan; and in the fall of 1956 matriculated at Harvard Law School on the G.I Bill, graduating in 1959.

After law school Robert took a job working in the Department of Defense (DOD) for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and while working overseas at NATO European Command in the late 1960s he met his future wife, Mary Eileen Philbin, having been introduced by Mary's Uncle, Brigadier General Tobias R. Philbin. Robert and Mary Eileen were wed in 1969 in Washington, DC. Their first daughter Mary Rose was born in 1971, their son Edwin in 1972, and their second daughter Kathleen in 1979.

In the early 1970s Robert served as the Israeli Desk Officer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, after which he worked in the Pentagon's Office of Foreign Military Rights Affairs. While working for the Department of Defense Robert received a second degree from Harvard, a master's in public administration, and attended the National War College (National Defense University), Class of 1973-1974. Robert's professional accomplishments include helping negotiate the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and working on the renegotiation of the Status of Forces Agreement between the U.S. and Portugal for the U.S. Air Force base in the Azores. Robert retired from government service after 30 years in 1989. He also served as treasurer for the Congress of Racial Equality's Washington, DC chapter in the early 1960s.

In his free time Robert volunteered at his children's high school, West Potomac, for both the debate team and the crew team, and eventually spent 20 years volunteering as a U.S. Rowing Association Judge-Referee. Robert was a bridge enthusiast and played weekly at the Hollin Hall Senior Center from 1990 until his death. He engaged politically after retiring from the federal government and volunteered for numerous political campaigns. Robert loved both classical music and jazz and was a subscriber to both the National Symphony Orchestra and the Fortas Chamber Music Series at the Kennedy Center. He was also a food and wine enthusiast and enjoyed twice annual visits to see his youngest daughter and younger sister in Sonoma California, where he was a member of several wineries.

Robert was an enthusiastic conversationalist who loved to talk about a vast range of topics, including (but certainly not limited to) his childhood in northern Indiana, Broadway musicals, his government service, the current state of the Washington Nationals, and whatever his children happened to be up to at the time. His unique voice will be missed by those who had the privilege of speaking with him over the course of his long and well-lived life.

Robert is survived by his three children; his daughter-in-law Julie Kubal; his son-in-law Josh Jerge; his grandson Alexander (Sasha), and his sisters Gene Kubal and Nancy Austerman. He was predeceased by his wife Mary Eileen (d. 1988) and brother Charles Kubal (d. 2019).

No services at this time.