Robert Harmel

Robert (Bob) Harmel, 95, passed away peacefully on December 29, 2014 in Methodist Willowbrook Hospital in Houston, Texas. Robert was born April 2, 1919 in Washington County, Texas, to Wilheim Herman Harmel and Lydia Caroline Dorner Harmel. He was baptized at St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Rehburg at Burton, Texas and later confirmed in the same church. Robert was a very proud veteran of World War II. He served in the 25th Division in the army from February, 1942, through the surrender of Japan in 1945. He served 3-1/2 years in the South Pacific participating in the campaigns against the Japanese at Guadalcanal, New Caledonia and the Philippines. On November 18, 1945, one month after Robert was discharged from the army, he married his childhood sweetheart, Velma Mueller, at the Evangelical Lutheran Church. He then began his career as a Transmission Specialist at DeMontrond/Hub Buick, Houston, Texas, where he continued to work for 39 years before retiring in 1984. He loved fishing, playing pool, cards, dominoes and tinkering with any and everything from home appliances to automobiles. He actually built, from the ground up, a 1952 Buick convertible in bright yellow and spent many years driving it. He would frequently take his family to the drive-in movies where his young daughter would sit on the top of the fold down roof while enjoying the movie. He so loved his family and loved visiting them in Burton and Corpus Christi, Texas. He was a blessing and will be missed by his family and all who knew him. Survivors include his wife of 69 years, Velma Harmel, son, Robert Wayne Harmel, daughter, Sherry Lynn Harmel Jones, son-in-law, Michael Lynn Jones and granddaughter, Kimberly Rachel Jones. Preceding him in death were his grandson, Jason Michael Jones, his parents, five brothers, Walter Harmel, Charles Harmel, Herbert Harmel, Herman Harmel and Harding Harmel and two sisters, Norma Harmel Knipstein and Selma Harmel Weber. The visitation with the family will be Sunday, January 4, from 4 pm - 6 pm at the Heights Funeral Home, 1317 Heights Blvd, Houston, Texas. The funeral is scheduled for Monday, January 5, 2014, at 9:45 am at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 306 East 15th St., Houston, Texas 77008. Interment will follow at Houston National Cemetery.