Robert Arthur Hebert

Robert Arthur Hebert, age 68, passed away quietly, surrounded by his loving family, on January 3rd after an eight month battle with lung cancer. Bob was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on May 13, 1947. He was the second son of Bertrand and Rachel Hebert. He attended St. Joseph’s High School in Pittsfield and graduated from the University of Guam in 1976 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1966 and served his country with pride for 26 years - 12 years as a non-commissioned officer and 14 years as an officer. He completed Officer Training School in 1977 and retired from active military service as a Major in 1991. He served a second career of 20 years as a contractor with the Department of Defense.

Bob was a man of faith and courage who loved God, his family, and his country. During his Air Force career, he played a pivotal role in avionics development for the A-10 Thunderbolt. He worked with the Contracting and Program Management branch of the Geophysics Laboratory and was instrumental in updating communication systems in Cheyenne Mountain for NORAD. He was a loyal member of Rockrimmon Church and volunteered for 24 years as a cook for the Marian House Soup Kitchen. He was a member of the American Legion, the United Service Organizations (USO), the American/French Genealogy Association, and the Defense Acquisition University Alumni Association. He had a passion for the outdoors and spent many hours hiking and horseback riding in the mountains. His love of history and family ancestry research led to his English translation of a book written in Dutch by Mark Van den Dries, Holland Drop Zone, an account of the 1944 crash of a WWII B-24 Liberator over Holland on which his uncle was a crew member. As a result, the families of the American crew members were able to read eyewitness accounts about their loved ones, some for the first time. He will be remembered for his patriotism, his devotion to family, his stellar military career, his loyal support of his church and other ministries, and his sense of humor.

Bob is survived by his wife of 46 years Paula, his sons Jeremy Clark, Jonathan Robert, and Adam James, and his brother Richard Hebert. He is predeceased by his parents, Bertrand Hebert and Rachel Crepeau, and his brother Donald Hebert.

The Memorial Service will be held at Rockrimmon Church, 4301 Forest Hill Road, Colorado Springs, on January 23rd at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project, WoundedWarriorsProject.org.