Robert was born on June 1, 1926, in Jeannette, Pennsylvania, the fourth of seven children. He attended Sacred Heart Catholic School and later, Jeannette High School.
As was common in the Depression era, Robert went to work early as a teenager in one of the many glass factories in the Jeannette area, before joining the U.S. Navy immediately after high school at the height of World War II.
He served as a machinist’s mate about the destroyer-escort USS Slater, seeing action first in the European theatre before transiting the Panama Canal on June 28, 1945, to serve in the Pacific. His ship, the Slater, is today the only surviving destroyer escort vessel still afloat, and it is now a museum ship and National Historic Landmark in Albany, NY. By special arrangement, a portion of Robert’s remains will be kept aboard Slater, and his personal logbook will become part of the museum collection.
In 1955, Robert relocated from his job at General Motors in Pennsylvania to Texas in order to join Vought Aircraft, later LTV and today Triumph Group. During his more than 30 years in the aerospace industry, he contributed to many major defense and NASA programs, from the A-7 Corsair II to the Space Shuttle. After his retirement in 1989, he continued to enjoy his hobbies of gardening and traveling around the Texas area. He was a member of Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, and the Silver Leaves of Grand Prairie.
In 1992, he adopted an Afghan hound whom he named Kasmir, and described as “the best buddy I ever had and a faithful friend for 13 years.” His ashes remained at Robert’s bedside for the rest of his life.
Robert was predeceased by his wife, Naomi Ruth Jones Egler; parents, Earl Vincent Egler and Della Reichert Egler of Jeannette; his brother, Earl Vincent Egler, Jr.; and three sisters, Mary Louise Soles, Rita Grace Uhrin, and Elizabeth Jane Beck.
He is survived by his sister, Della Egler Dietrich of Arlington, Texas; his brother Regis Egler (Mary) of Jeannette; and 12 nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday at 11 a.m. at Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 2100 N. Davis Dr., in Arlington.
Donations in Robert’s name may be made to the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum, USS Slater DE-766, P.O. Box 1926, Albany, NY 12201, www.ussslater.org.
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