James Albert Krobert

Jim was from McKees Rocks, PA born in 1947 to Albert and Helen Krobert. He was drafted straight out of high school into the Army where he went through OTS in 1967. A friend of his from OTS, Ted Kent, said Jim “was always the one to keep us going and focused on graduating”. He did deployments in Vietnam, Korea, and Germany through the 70s serving as a Transportation and Logistics Officer before retiring after 20 years of service as a Major. He also had a passion for photography and enjoyed being behind the lens for photos.

He met the loved of his life, Gladys, while walking on the beach on the Causeway while deployed in Panama in 1982. She had noticed him first, checking out his “great legs”. He asked to take a picture of her dog and they were inseparable from that point forward. Excited to start their lives together, they were married in Panama and again in Los Angeles in 1986. Despite being married for 40 long, blissful years he never did learn how to speak Spanish.

Jim’s favorite job was being a dad - they had one daughter together, Kelsey, in 1991. Kelsey and Jim were as close as any father daughter dynamic duo could be - working on home renovation projects, racing Mario Kart, and singing Motown music together. He taught her everything she knows about hard work, how to be a strong and independent woman, and set a shining example of what a good man is. He loved her unconditionally and was the first person she would call for help or to share good news.

Jim will always be remembered for his loyalty and warm soul. We couldn’t have asked for a better husband and father, and he will be missed every day for the rest of our lives. He lives on in the hearts of all those who loved him and we will continue to honor him by living full lives and raising a beer in his name.

His memorial service will be held on March 1st, 2024 at the National Cemetery of Arizona located at 23029 N Cave Creek Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85024. Start time is at 12:30pm but please arrive early by 12:15pm. Near the entrance there is a board with names and shelter numbers. You can locate his name on the board and drive to the shelter location where the service will begin at 12:30pm sharp. The service will include military honors and a blessing by a priest. Once the service is complete, we will return back to their home at 10921 W Granada Drive, Sun City, AZ to celebrate Jim’s life and share memories in his honor.