Bob Wight

Bob Wright A WWII submarine veteran began his eternal patrol on April 19, 2014. Bob Wight was inducted into the Navy in 1943 and served until 1946, much of his time on the submarine USS Becuna, including four of her five war patrols in the Southwest Pacific. He was born on Nov. 30, 1924, at Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Clyde Aven and May Elizabeth Wight. Their home was at Henderson, Iowa, where Bob completed his schooling, graduating in 1942 as class valedictorian. He enrolled at Iowa State and completed two quarters before entering the Navy. In 1946, he returned to Iowa State and received a B.S. in dairy industry in 1949. He began his career at Flynn Dairy in Des Moines, Iowa, shortly after graduation and went on to spend over 50 years in various phases of the dairy business, the last 20 years of which was spent as a consultant. He served one term as president of the Chicago Dairy Technology Society and was a director of the Cultured Products Institute. His consulting included time spent in South Africa, Canada, Mexico, China, El Salvador and many of the United States. Bob and Roberta Hetzel were married on Nov. 13, 1955, in Mt. Ayr, Iowa, a marriage that would last over 48 years until Roberta's death in 2004. Over this span, they lived at LeMars, Iowa, the St. Louis suburban area, Wheaton, Ill., and moved to Holiday Island, Ark., before moving to Fayetteville in 2001. Survivors include sons, Jay and Chris (Linda); and grandchildren, Katie, Holly, Rebecca, Conrad, Nolan and Anna. Bob was a member of the Submarine Veterans of WWII and served as Arkansas Diamond Chapter Commander for seven years. He was also a member of the Submarine Veterans Inc. and the Holland Club. Bob was also a member of Grace Cumberland Presbyterian Church. A memorial service will be held at Grace Cumberland Presbyterian Church on Saturday, April 26, at 2 p.m. Interment of his remains will be at a later date at Farm Creek Cemetery, Henderson, Iowa. Cremation was under the direction of Luginbuel Funeral Home of Prairie Grove. Online guestbook www.luginbuel.com.