Robert Dale DeWitt

Robert Dale DeWitt, 74, Lt. Colonel, USAF retired, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2008 after a long and courageous six year battle with cancer. Bob was born in Royalton, Illinois in 1933 to Herbert and Cora DeWitt. His childhood was spent fishing in the Big Muddy River, a passion he enjoyed throughout his life. After graduating from high school, Bob attended South Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois, It was during that time that he met and married Frances Rice, who would remain his devoted and loving wife for the next fifty-four years. After graduating from SIU, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Bob served his country with twenty years in the USAF, ten of those years with a Strategic Air Command combat crew. During this twenty years of service, he and Frances managed to raise three children, Patricia, Katherine, and Robert, no small feat considering the cross country moves that required of any military family. In 1976, after twenty years, Bob retired from the United States Air Force a Lt. Colonel. Bob and Frances owned and personally operated DeWitt Jewelers, Inc. for the next twenty-six years in Georgetown, Texas. All three of Bob and Frances’s children worked at DeWitt Jewelers, Inc, making it a family run business. He was an honest and well respected businessman who always gave credit to his family, the community and his dedicated staff which included Jack Green, Frieda Pyburn, and Beth Cuff. He will be greatly missed by all who new him. Bob is survived by his loving wife Frances, of fifty-four years; daughters Patricia and Katherine and son Robert Alan, of Georgetown, Texas; his two beloved grandsons, Andrew and Jason Henderson; his brother Jim and wife Linda, of Zeigler, Illinois and nephew Bobby, also of Zeigler, Illinois; mother-in-law Gertrude Rice, and sisters-in-law Janet Koehne and Carol Norman of Springfield, Illinois; and one cousin, Donna Whiham of Idaho Falls, Idaho. The family would like to thank Dr. Beth Hellerstedt and her wonderful staff at Texas Oncology in Austin, Texas; Dr. Chyle and staff at Round Rock Oncology ; Dr. Michael McClelland; Dr. Zientek of the Austin Heart Hospital; MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas; the staff of Austin Hospice and Christopher House’s dedicated staff. Those who wish, may make donations to the American Cancer Society, MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas or Christopher House in Austin, Texas Serving as honorary pallbearers are: Robert Alan DeWitt, Jim DeWitt, Andrew Henderson, Jason Henderson, Louis Hardeman and Winston Johnson. Graveside service with Military Honors will be at 10:00am Friday April 4, 2008 in IOOF Cemetery in Georgetown, Texas.