Robert Frederick Gueringer

February 28, 1920- January 27, 2015

It is with great sadness that the Gueringer family announces the passing of Robert Frederick "Bob" Gueringer in his 95th year at his home in San Antonio, Texas. Born at his parents' house in Tucson, Arizona on 28 February 1920, Bob is the 2nd son of Louis Amde Gueringer, Jr. of Ennis, TX and Olivia Olga Blanc of Phoenix, AZ. He was baptized shortly thereafter into the Catholic faith at the historic San Xavier del Bac Mission and given the names of his maternal grandfather Frederick Blanc and his father's maternal grandfather Robert H Young, natives of Bern, Switzerland and Somerville, Tennessee, respectively. About the year 1922, Bob followed his parents to Houston, Texas and eventually to San Antonio.

Here Bob attended Thomas Jefferson High School, whose excellent curricula, musical bands and ROTC so inspired Hollywood that the movie "High School" was filmed there and released in 1940, with Bob serving as an "extra" in a scene featuring the ROTC corps. After graduation, as the battles of WWII heated up in Europe, Bob joined the 36th Division of the National Guard. Only a few days before his discharge, Pearl Harbor was bombed. Remaining with the 36th, Bob continued to serve in both the North African and the European theatres. As a medic he attended the wounded and kept the medical records until his discharge in July 1945.

Having a passion for and a sharp memory of his war experiences, Bob relished in the telling of his stories even to the calling out of the names of his comrades, recently, in his final few weeks. After the war, Bob hustled into a sampling of occupations, working for Columbia records where he was once a driver for the band leader Benny Goodman and later a sales rep and route driver for the Coca Cola Bottling Co. Eventually, he won the opportunity to develop his own insurance agency with State Farm. Making this his life career, Bob retired in December 2012 at the age of 92, giving him the recognition of being one of the oldest working agents in State Farm's history. On May 17, 1947, Bob married Mary Alice Ehrhardt at St. Ann's Catholic Church. A native of New Orleans, Mary Alice, too, had followed her parents to San Antonio. Together they embraced their adopted city as home and began what would become a 68 year love affair of life. "Joie de vivre" became their motto and that life brought to them six children who all survive him. Jeanne Marie (James) Fulkerson of Santa Barbara, CA, Robert "Terry" (Rhonda Brock) Gueringer, Thomas Edward (Tomala Hunsicker) Gueringer and Kenneth Paul (Mary Walls) Gueringer, all of San Antonio, Margaret "Peggy" Gueringer of Tucson, AZ and Carol Elizabeth (Malcolm) Tabberer of Houston were all present at their father's bedside. To his children and his devoted wife Mary Alice, Bob at one time announced, "I got all my foxhole dreams and then some. I have no regrets. I am a lucky man". Turning toward his lovely Mary, he whispered, "Thanks for the memories".

Bob is predeceased by his parents and his siblings, Louis "Louie" Amde Gueringer, III, John Paul "Jack" Gueringer and Sally Ann Gueringer Klein, all of San Antonio. Bob is also survived by 13 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren as well as many in-laws, nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, February 8, 2015 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m at Porter Loring on McCullough, with a Rosary to follow at 7:00 p.m.

Mass at St. Luke's Catholic Church, 4603 Manitou Drive on Monday, February 9, 2015 at 9:45 a.m.

Interment to follow at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery with military honors.

The Gueringer family acknowledges with heartfelt gratitude the angels of Vitas Hospice, whose compassion and constant attention to the needs of our father helped to make this a truly blessed event

Reception to follow @St. Luke's Catholic Church Parish Hall after the burial at 12:30 p.m.