More detail on this person: Major US Army
(Ret.) Robert Melvin Bissell, 76, went to be with
our Lord on Saturday, December 8, 2007, at
Sunshine Haven Hospice in Brownsville, Texas, with
his wife Marjorie and daughter Kerry by his side.
Bob was born on November 6, 1931 in Valley City,
North Dakota. He grew up in Miles City, Montana
and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in
1949. He joined the United States Air Force at the
young age of 19. After serving his country for
four years, which included a tour of duty in the
Philippines, he served the Miles City Police
Department for a year and then joined the Montana
Highway patrol in 1955 and served his state for
seven years. Bob wasn't done serving his country
and joined the Army National Guard in 1959 while
still on the Highway Patrol. In 1962, he chose to
leave the Highway patrol and went active duty with
the United States Army. Bob served one tour of
duty in Korea and two tours of duty in Vietnam. He
received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the
University of Nebraska in 1970 while still in the
service of the United States Army. Bob retired
from the Army in 1979, and began another career of
service in the Hotel business. Bob loved to play
golf, and when his health no longer allowed him to
play, he was happy to watch it on television.
Bob's love of sports was shared with his children
who carry on the family tradition of being sports
"fan"atics. Bob was a big bear of a man, with the
heart of a teddy bear. Bob was preceded in death
by his parents, Melvin and Helen Bissell, of Miles
City, MT. He is survived by his loving wife of 28
years, Marjorie; his children, Sheila Fulkerson
from Lynnwood, WA, Scott (Diane) from Marysville,
WA, Kerry (Ron) Hester from Camano Island, WA,
and Kelly Jones from Lake Stevens, WA; their
mother, Marilyn Bissell from Seattle, WA, Margie's
children, Joe (Angie) Harris from Modesto, CA and
Michelle (Jim) Johnson from Reno, NV; fourteen
grand-children and three great-grandchildren. He
is also survived by his brothers, Jim (Ellie)
Bissell from Kalispell, MT, Don (Hazel) Bissell
from Sweet Home, OR, and Mike Bissell from Miles
City, MT. Visitation hours are scheduled from 10
a.m. to 12 p.m., for Sunday, December 16, 2007, at
Walton Funeral Home, 875 W. 2nd Street, Reno.
Funeral Services will be held at 12 p.m., on
Monday, December 17, at Walton Funeral Home.
Burial will follow at Northern Nevada Veterans
Cemetery in Fernley, NV. In lieu of flowers, Bob's
family is requesting that memorial gifts in his
name be made to Sunshine Haven Hospice, P.O.
Box 4478, Brownsville, Texas 78523-4478. If a
man's worth can be measured by the number of
lives he touches, then Bob is truly wealthy. The
people whose lives he touched are truly blessed.
He will be greatly missed.
Daily Herald, The (Everett, WA) - Wednesday,
December 12, 2007 WA United States
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