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Robert Gordon Babb passed away on June 1, 2004 at the Idaho State Veterans Home in Pocatello, ID. A memorial service with military honors was held there on June 5, 2004. Bob was born in Port Arthur, TX on April 20, 1922, the son of Robert Gabriel and Bertha Mae (Templeton) Babb. He was a graduate of South Park High School, Beaumont, TX, and received an AA degree from Lamar Junior College. In 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and received his wings in 1943 (class 43-D). During the remainder of the war, he served as a flight instructor for the Air Force. On September 30, 1944, he married Priscilla June Sparks RN, who predeceased him in 1994. After the war, he was able to continue as a pilot for the Air Force while completing his B. S. and a Masters degree in Physics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. After transferring to Albuquerque in 1952, in addition to flying for the Air Force, he served as a physicist at Kirtland Air Force Base from 1952 to 1956. He then worked as a Nuclear Safety Research Specialist assigned to Livermore National Laboratory, CA from 1957 to 1959, before returning to Albuquerque, where he retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1964. He later worked as a physicist and computer scientist for General Dynamics in Alamogordo, and at Lovelace Foundation and Sandia National Laboratories before retiring in the Albuquerque area in 1987. Bob married Sandra Ann Christman in 1972 in Albuquerque. He is survived by three of his four children, Robert G Babb II, of Golden, CO, and Charles Sparks Babb and Julie Jean Babb of Corrales. Bob was predeceased by another daughter, Carolyn May (Babb) Duggan, of San Antonio, TX. He is also survived by one brother and two sisters: John Babb of Baton Rouge, LA, Beverly (Babb) Hauskins of Lake Charles LA, and Doris Lee Babb, of Beaverton OR; three half-brothers, James Benham of Phoenix, AZ, William Benham of Baton Rouge, and Mickey Benham of Lake Charles; and by his 11 grandchildren, Ariana (Duggan) Thomas, Ayla, Robert, Matthew, Alyssa, David, Joshua, and Joseph Duggan, of San Antonio, TX; Kara Babb of Corrales; Ginevra (Fay-Babb) Pasquine of Santa Monica, CA and Elizabeth Fay-Babb of Golden, CO. In addition to his lifelong passion for flying, Bob was an avid hiker, gardener, stamp collector, genealogist, and classical music enthusiast. He belonged to the New Mexico Mountain Club, the Babb Family Association, IEEE, US Cancellation Club and was past president of the Albuquerque Philatelic Society. He was an avid participant and past president in 43-D, an association of his fellow flight school classmates that graduated in April 1943. He was a member of Temple Lodge #6 AF & AM, York Rite Bodies of Freemasonry, National Sojourners, Heros of 76, PWOS of White Shrine of Jerusalem and PRP of Amaranth. A Memorial service will be held Sunday, October 3, 2004 at 4 pm at Temple Lodge #6, 3801 Osuna Blvd NE, conducted by Dale Smith.
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