Robert Lee Storey

Robert Lee “Bob" Storey was born December 19, 1936, near Greenwood, Sebastian County, Arkansas to Benjamin Asa Burgess Storey (1894-1973) and Daisy Frances Altstatt Storey (1899-1967), the eleventh of thirteen children. His family’s roots in Arkansas stretch back to the early 1800’s.

After moving to California at age 13, he later graduated from Alameda High School and joined the US Air Force in 1954. During 20 years of military service, he was stationed abroad in Libya, Korea, and Thailand, held numerous leadership positions, and

received many awards and commendations including the Meritorious Service Award and two Air Force Commendation Medals. Bob retired at Boling AFB in Washington, D.C. in 1974 after serving in both the Korean and Viet Nam Wars. After the Air Force,

Bob enjoyed a 24-year career in business with ArcBest (ABF Freight Systems) in Fort Smith, AR.

In 1968, while stationed at Reese AFB in Lubbock, TX, Bob married Julia Mae “Judy” Williams. In 2001, he and Judy retired to the Northwest Arkansas town of Little Flock to be near their son and grandchildren.

Bob was proud of his siblings, proud of his heritage, and proud of his military service. But he was most proud of his immediate family, and devoted to his granddaughters and great-grandchildren, all of whom he adored. He was respected by everyone who knew him as a leader, a person of strength, and a person of integrity who carried a positive influence wherever he went.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, and by siblings Millie Ellen (1920), John Aaron(1928), James Eugene (1944), Ben Jr. (1965), Willis Bert (1988), Jerry Dean (1994), Willard Lee (1997), Marvin Edward (1999), Earl Arnold (2003), Floyd Francis (2011),

Doris Laverne Knight (2024), and Billy David (2025).

He is survived by his wife of almost 58 years, his son Reynolds “Rink” Storey (Julie) of Bentonville, granddaughter Mindy Czlapinski (Jim) of Pennsylvania, granddaughter Melanie Le (Shane) of Bentonville, and ten great-grandchildren: Natalie, Evan, Kaelyn,

Isabelle, Sadie, Jackson, Laura, Emily, Benjamin, and Jordan.

A private graveside service was held at the National Cemetery in Fayetteville, AR.