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Robert Bruce Pilcher was born June 26, 1919 in Lawrence, KS. He has been a resident of Albuquerque since 1958. Robert was preceded in death by his parents, Bruce and Caroline Pilcher of Wichita, KS and his sister, Louise Curtis of Phoenix, AZ. He is survived by his wife, Thelma J. Pilcher; children, Alanna Larsen and spouse, Dean of Littleton, CO, Mark Pilcher and spouse, Leslie of Hong Kong; grandchildren, Ashley Merritt and spouse, Jason of Arvada, CO, Samantha and Brandon Pilcher of Hong Kong; sister, Adeline Brown of Wichita, KS; and several nieces and nephews. Robert enlisted in the Army Reserve Corps in November 1942. He was called into active duty in February of 1943. After completing basic training, aviation cadet preflight training and gunnery and navigation training, he was ferried to his new home with the 2nd Bomb Group, 20th Squadron of the 15th Air Force. The 2nd Bomb Group was stationed north of Foggia on the east side of Italy. Robert served as a navigator on a B-17 Flying Fortress. On his twenty-first mission his plane was shot down, but it was able to make a pancake landing in Hungary. Robert was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries he received during this mission. He was discharged in September of 1945. Robert met Thelma in the summer of 1946 and they were in May of 1947. With Thelma's encouragement, he enrolled at the University of Kansas in the summer of 1948. He graduated with a BS in Architectural Engineering in December 1950. His daughter was born while he was in college. After graduating, he worked at Boeing in Wichita and during this time his son was born. In 1958 he began working as an architect of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Branch of Plant Design and Construction in Albuquerque. He worked on numerous school and hospital projects around the country, including the Barrow Hospital in Barrow, AK. Robert and Thelma traveled extensively after his retirement. He loved his family very much and will be missed by all. Graveside Services will be held May 8, 2006, 1:00 p.m., at Santa Fe National Cemetery, Santa Fe, NM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Sandias, 105 Hospital Loop NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109. French Mortuary, Inc. 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400
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