More detail on this person: Elton, Robert G. Elton, Robert G. 80 10/02/1929 07/03/2010 Robert "Bob" G. Elton was born in Carrington, N.D., Oct. 2, 1929. He was the second of five sons of Oscar and Margie Jacobs Elton. At the age of 8, in the throes of the Great Depression, his family relocated to Southern California. He returned to North Dakota in 1945 where he attended North Dakota State College and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in education. In 1953 he married Ruth Webster of Devils Lake, N.D. They are the parents of seven children. Bob enrolled in ROTC while in college and graduated as a first lieutenant. He entered the U.S. Army in 1953 to begin a 23-year career during which time he served in Korea and two tours in Vietnam. He was a member of the 1st Cavalry Division. Prior to his second tour in Vietnam, he attended University of Southern California, where he earned a master's degree in aerospace operations management. Most of Bob's military career was as a fixed wing and helicopter pilot, as well as an instructor for both. Upon completion of his second Vietnam tour, he was ordered to Europe and he and his family enjoyed four years in Germany. While in Europe he commanded the Supply and Service Battalion in Schw bisch Hall, Germany. He was then transferred to Heidelberg, Germany. During that time he enrolled in the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College by correspondence and completed their courses in record time. He was reassigned to Fort Lewis, Wash., and was honorably discharged from the Army in 1974 as a lieutenant colonel. Bob became an agent and certified life underwriter for New York Life Insurance Co., in Tacoma, and relocated to Portland in 1978 to become assistant manager of their Lloyd Center office. He left New York Life to begin his own financial planning business and subsequently owned a Subway franchise and a mail parcel center known as E-Z Mail in Beaverton. After this third retirement, Bob and Ruth went traveling in their motorhome and eventually settled in a retirement community, Arizona Traditions, in Surprise, Ariz. Care of his family was always Bob's number one priority. He was an avid reader and enjoyed conversing about insurance, financial markets, government, and politics. His gregarious nature and happy sense of humor helped him relate to people, and he was a great salesman. Bob is survived by his wife of 57 years, Ruth. He was predeceased by his daughter, Patricia, in 1962; and is survived by daughters, Sharon Robinson, Teresa Dowling (Patrick), and Elizabeth Elton of Bellingham, Wash.; sons, Robert II (Lynn), Ronald (Dena), and Dennis (Shawnlyn); seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A celebration of Bob's life will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, July 22, 2010, at Summerfield Golf & Country Club, 10650 S.W. Summerfield Road, Tigard. Remembrances may be made to the American Cancer Society, 0330 S.W. Curry St., Portland, OR, 97239, or The American Lung Association of Oregon, 7420 S.W. Bridgeport Road, Suite 200, Tigard, OR 97224.
This information was last updated 10/25/2017
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