Robert Francis Stahl

Robert Francis Stahl, December 25, 1921 – February 25, 2015 passed away peacefully at the age of 93 in San Diego, California, following a brief illness. He is survived by one sister, Rita Stahl of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and many nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his wife, Margia Marie Hatton, Stahl, and his parents, Leo Martin and Anna May Spitzer Stahl. He was also preceded in death by brothers Joseph, Adrian, and Gerard Stahl; sisters Babs Huffert, Catherine O’Conner, and Marie Henderson.

Born in Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania, he was the youngest son in a family of eight children that lived on a 100-acre farm. He later bought some prime scenic country acreage in Pennsylvania, now owned by one of his nephews and known to all as “twin Acres” for the two hills that it contains.

Robert served twenty years in the United States Air Force, including time during the Berlin Airlift and the Korean War as a flight engineer and crew chief; he retired as a Master Sergeant. While in the military, Robert graduated from a training course at Fort Logan, Colorado, on December 5, 1941, with orders to Luke Field, Arizona, but was given a 15-daydelay en route. He used that break to hitchhike to his home in Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, the car radio announced the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was on the C-124 cargo plane that had the ground crew, supplies, and equipment to take care of the B-47 bomber plane when it landed, as in the Jimmy Stewart movie “Strategic Air Command.” He had been to Alaska on C-124 cargo planes multiple times. His assignments included flying C47 ‘duty birds’ in Germany and being crew chief on B25s at Mitchell field in New York. It was during his time at Mitchell field that he met his wife, Margia Marie Hatton, a sweet red-haired gal from Texas, while she was visiting her brother EC Hatton. They married February 14, 1954, in Hillister, Texas. Robert was also stationed at Okinawa in Japan and Travis Air Force Base in California. He retired from the military at Dover AFB, Delaware, and then moved to Vacaville and Citrus Heights, California. There he built houses for many years, homes known for their solid quality and excellent value. After his retirement, he and Margia enjoyed traveling and camping, and they had a second home in the mountains of California. His last eight years were spent in Texas, near his oldest brother’s home and his wife’s childhood home. Following Margia’s passing July 23, 2013, Robert made the decision to live with his niece Clara Ann Norman where he spent his last months in the comfort of family.

Robert was a tall person, with a ready smile, and was an avid walker. He was very knowledgeable in the area of politics and was not shy about expressing his strong opinions. One of his pastimes was gardening, being especially proud of his tomatoes, okra, onions and cucumbers. Also in his retirement years, he spent time on the computer, teaching himself strategies for trading stocks and keeping in contact with family and friends through e-mails.

Robert will be missed by his family and friends who enjoyed from a lifetime of unconditional affection. To all who knew him, he was a gentle, kind, and loyal man. He loved his family, his wife, and his country.

Services for Robert will be at 12:00 at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, TX with full military honors. Visitation will be from 9:00am to 11:00am at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home, Temple, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to:

Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home

www.boystown.org/gift