Robert "Bob" Monson

Robert “Bob” Monson, 98, who spent nearly all of his retired years in Fernandina Beach, passed away early on March 1st at the home of his daughter, Fredericka Kessler, in Versailles, KY. Robert was born in Burlington, Iowa on February 5th, 1921. After graduating high school, he attended the University of Iowa. He received a bachelors degree in chemical engineering along with honorary degrees in chemistry and engineering. During his senior year, Robert took a hiatus to work on the ALCAN highway, built to connect the contiguous United States to Alaska, across Canada. He returned to Iowa to complete his studies and graduated in the summer of 1942. He joined the U. S. Navy and served admirably for 3 years. Bob shipped out to Annapolis, MD and under the “90-Day-Wonder” program, as it was known, he received the stepped-up, intensive 3-months officers training course. Soon thereafter, he found himself on a destroyer, the Osmand Ingram, “APD-35”. It was aboard this vessel that Officer Monson served in the Mediterranean during the invasion of southern France, performed submarine duty in the Atlantic, then moved on to the Pacific Theatre where his warship was apportioned as an attack transport and convoy escort and was involved in the Battle of Okinawa against the Imperial Japanese forces, the last major battle of WWII and one of the deadliest. After he discharged from the military, in 1946, Robert accepted a position with DuPont in Buffalo, NY. It was there where he took a shine to a co-worker in the department by the name of Sarah. Robert married Sarah Catherine Breslin on February 11, 1950; a loving bond that lasted 69 years until his death. Robert worked as a chemical engineer for Dupont for 37 years. His career enabled the Monson family to enjoy residing in such locales as New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Delaware, Kentucky, as well as Europe - specifically the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg - before he retired as in 1983. He was fortunate to have spent nearly as many years in retirement - 36 total - where he pursued his love of sailing, with Sarah, aboard “Sandpiper”, a 34-foot “Aloha” sailboat. Their adventures included sailing from the craft’s point of purchase in Ontario, Canada, down the intra coastal waterway to their future home on Amelia Island. Over the ensuing years, Bob collected nearly a dozen sailing trophies including one for “Rookie of the Year”. He and Sarah sailed all around the Caribbean, including a couple of memorable jaunts to the Bahamas. Whether by sea, by land or by air, travel was a pronounced part of Robert’s life as he, Sarah and the family collectively visited exotic locations in several dozen countries on five different continents around the world. Bob was a lifelong and avid golfer, proud of his membership in the famed “Lemonade Boys” at FBCC, he loved his music, he liked to dance to swing and Sinatra and he could swing a mean hammer as well. Devoted to family, he especially loved reunions and the many family gatherings at their home at Christmastime - the more the merrier. Along with his wife, Sarah, Bob was active with his church, Saint Michael’s in Fernandina Beach, singing hymns with the church choir. Robert is survived by wife, Sarah, sons Christopher (Ann) of Wilmington, DE, Stephen (Laura) and Joseph (Lisbet) of Minneapolis, Martin (Stacia) of Seattle, and daughter Fredericka (Rick) Kessler of Versailles, KY, granddaughter Shawna Monson, grandsons Nickolas and Dylan Monson, and Ryan and Andrew Kessler. Robert is preceded in death by his brother, Harold. A memorial service will be held 2:00 pm Saturday, March 9, 2019 at Clark Funeral Home, Rose Hill. Fr. Miguel Alvizures will officiate. Visitation will be held from 1:00 pm until the start of the service at the funeral home.