(U.S. Army, Ret.) Robert Lane Fleming

(U.S. Army, Ret.) Maj. Robert L. Fleming, age 94 of Temple and formerly of Austin, died Sunday, March 4, 2012 in Temple. Graveside services, with full military honors, will be held at 2:00 PM Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at the Floca Memorial Pavilion of Hillcrest Cemetery with Chaplain Bruce Mercer officiating. The family will receive visitors from 5-7:00 PM Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home. Mr. Fleming was born on January 11, 1918 in Sanger, Texas to the late Michael U. Fleming and Tillie Hopkins Fleming. He married Lois Cherry in 1935 in Dallas and on January 15, 1936 he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Sam Houston. During his distinguished Army career, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. In March of 1944, Robert was commissioned a 2nd Lieut. with the Corp. of Engineers, assigned to Fort Belvoir, VA as a platoon commander and in October of 1944, he served with Gen. Douglas MacArthur in New Guinea. In March of 1945, was with a platoon commander with the 821 Engineer Division in The Philippines. In May of 1947, Robert was a 1st Lieut. assigned to the 547 Engineers Battalion. He was the platoon commander of the last separate African American unit I Gehlhausen, Germany. In September of 1949, he was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany as the camp commander of the Engineers Battalion and in 1952 he worked at the 8th Army HQ in Korea. In February of 1953, Robert was stationed in Yokohama, Japan with the Light Infantry Battalion. He was promoted to Captain in July of 1954 and was with the 80th Engineers Battalion at Ft. Bragg, NC. In July of 1956, Robert was a Post Engineer with the Light Infantry Battalion. He was promoted to Major in June of 1957 and was the Station Engineer in Munich, Germany. In April 1959, Robert returned to Fort Sam Houston and retired in June of 1960 with the rank of Major. Robert later retired from the City of Austin where he worked as an engineer. He was a member of Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin and the Austin Masonic Lodge. He was an accomplished artist in oils and watercolors and was an art instructor. Robert enjoyed boating and traveling and was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Lois Fleming and a son Michael Scott Fleming. Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Fleming of Temple; grandchildren, Lisa Fleming Edgmon of Houston; Robert Scott Fleming of Troy and Jonathan Fleming of Denton; a daughter-in-law, Bev Fleming of Pottsboro, Texas; three great grandchildren; and a brother, Clifford Slackney and wife Annette. Memorials may be given in Mr. Fleming's name to the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, Texas 75219.