Robert Clark Boone

Born October 14, 1936, in Montgomery, Alabama, Bobby graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in 1955 and attended Auburn University. During his senior year, he led the Lanier High School Marching band as drum major. After college he joined the Alabama Air National Guard and started working for WSFA-TV in the production department. In 1961 his unit, the 187th TAC Reconnaissance Group, was called to active duty during the Berlin Crisis, and he served on active duty until 1962. After his release from active duty with the United States Air Force, Bobby became a full-time member of the Alabama Air Guard. In 1966 he received a commission as a Second Lieutenant, and at the same time accepted a position as director of public information with the State of Alabama, Department of Conservation. He continued serving as a member of the Alabama Air Guard, and retired as a Major.

In 1973, he became director of public relations for the Alabama Petroleum Council in Montgomery, a position he held until 1975, when he was promoted to assistant director for the American Petroleum Council in Atlanta. In 1978, Bobby joined Gulf Oil Corporation in Atlanta and worked as director of that company’s regional public affairs office until Chevron acquired Gulf in 1985. He continued with Chevron as Southern Region Director of Public Affairs in Atlanta until his retirement in 1999.

Bobby Boone loved nature and spending time outdoors. He was happiest hunting, fishing and sharing the experience with his wife, daughter and friends. He holds the record for catching the largest Warsaw Grouper of 310 lbs. in the 1999 Destin Fishing Rodeo. He was an accomplished photographer whose photographs have been widely published. His most famous photograph was taken of former Governor Lurleen Wallace holding a wild turkey she had killed while hunting with Bobby.

Bobby is survived by his devoted and loving wife Deanna (Deedee) C. Boone, a daughter Alison Boone Hildebrant, her husband Steve, a granddaughter, Anne Marie of Monticello, Georgia, a stepson Shawn Regan, his wife Cassandra, grandchildren, Cheyenne Regan, Austin Regan and Savanna Regan of Crestview, Florida. He was preceded in death by his first wife Margaret Anne, and his parents, Robert Newton and Flora Clark Boone.

Visitation for family members will be at 1 PM, Friday, July 6, at Leak Memory Chapel Funeral Home, 945 Lincoln Road, Montgomery, followed immediately by visitation for friends and members of the Alabama Air Guard.

Funeral services will be at 3 PM, with Pastor Richard S. Russ and Bishop Wesley H. Russ officiating. Burial will follow at the family plot in Greenwood Cemetery with full military honors.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Florida Wildlife Federation, P.O. Box 6870, Tallahassee, FL 32413-6870