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Robert L. Daby escaped death on May 8, 1942, and again in 1981, but it finally found him on October 31st, 2002. In the interim he became a proud husband, father and grandfather. He was born on December 22, 1921 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts to Thomas and Florence Woods Daby. He graduated at 17 from Fitchburg High and enlisted in the U.S. Navy with his parents permission at age 18. He was stationed in Hawaii on the U.S.S. Lexington, The Queen of the Flattops, and was part of the carrier fleet that was out on maneuvers on December 7, 1941. He helped to clean up the damage of that Day of Infamy. He survived the Battle of the Coral Sea in May of 1942 although the Lexington was sunk on May 8, 1942. While waiting for reassignment he met Crucita Garcia of Hot Springs, New Mexico in San Francisco where she worked for the U.S. government. They later married and had three daughters. The family lived in Washington State and Florida before moving to Albuquerque in 1959 when Robert retired from the Navy after 20 years of service. He worked as a tech-writer contracted to Sandia Base for many years until his retirement. He earned a degree in Sociology from U.N.M. during that time. Robert had quadruple bypass surgery in 1981 but continued to live a full and long life. He was an active member of the Ballut Abyad Shrine and played in the Shrine Band. He and Crucita were also in the Gold Wing Roadrunners Association and the Retreads Motorcycle Club. They were married for 55 years until her death in 1998. He is survived by his daughters, Roberta Chavez, Juanita Busico and Laura Daby and her husband, Jon Anderson; grandchildren, Sabrina Busico; Victor, David (deceased), and Michael Chavez; Nicholas and Natasha Anderson and two great-grandchildren, Benjamin Chavez and Cacia Chavez; and his cousin, Gladys Anderson who still resides in Fitchburg. He will be missed by his family and many friends. Memorial services will be held at a later date.
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