Robert Allen Feuillerat

Robert (Bob) Allen Feuillerat (also known as Gunner), aged 82, joined his Heavenly Father on January 17, 2024, at Kobacker House, Columbus, Ohio. Bob was born at White Cross Hospital, Columbus, Ohio on January 4, 1942, to Reginald Carl Feuillerat and Virginia Stella (Young) Feuillerat. He was preceded in death by his parents; Aunts: Helen (Young) Fish, Abby (Young) Heinlein and Betty (Young) Cooper; Uncles: Charles Fish, Alvin Heinlein and Ted Cooper; Cousins Joan (Fish) Keen, Charles Fish, and Richard Heinlein and his in-laws, Thomas A. Nolen and Ora Lorraine (Dillard) Nolen. Bob joined the US Navy December 29, 1959. His first duty station after boot camp was in a place that even some of his superiors in the Navy didn’t know about - Port Isabel, Texas. In June of 1960, he was introduced by a friend to Tommye June Nolen. By July 4, 1960, they were engaged and were married February 17, 1961 in San Benito, Texas. In the summer of 1961, they moved to Corpus Christi, Texas and in September of 1962, were transferred to Jacksonville, Florida where their son, Robert Allen Feuillerat, Jr. was born on October 26, 1962 at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. From Jacksonville, Bob was transferred to Lemoore Naval Air Station, Lemoore, California. He made his first cruise in 1963-64 on the USS Oriskany (on which he made five cruises) with VA-163. Bob and June’s younger son, Russell Carl Feuillerat, was born on July 8, 1965 in the Naval Hospital, NAS Lemoore, while Bob was at sea. In 1967, Bob was transferred back to Jacksonville with Attack Squadron 44. Next transfer was to Naval Air Station Miramar, San Diego, California, in March 1970, where he served with VF-194 and VA-114 and as Weapons Division Officer for NAS Miramar. Summer of 1980, transfer was to Naval Air Station, Fallon, Nevada where he served as Head of the Weapons Department. Bob retired June 30, 1983 after 23 and a half years honorable service to his country. He loved the Navy and enlisted as an Airman (E-1), advanced to Warrant Officer (W-4) and retired as a Lieutenant (O-3). Bob loved to travel and made the most of his shore leave while on cruise. He traveled to the Far East on nine cruises and also made a cruise to the Mediterranean on the USS America; his service also included cruises on the USS Kitty Hawk and USS Enterprise. The family made many trips around the country while visiting family or while traveling to a new duty station, and Bob was always on the lookout for interesting and fun places to stop along the way, although Robert, Jr. still complains that we never visited a snake farm. The boys were good travelers and trips were always fun. Bob was a member of the Association of Naval Aviation (ANA), the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), The Association of Aviation Ordnancemen, Vietnam Veterans of America and the Delaware County Genealogical Society for which he edited the newsletter since 2013. He was also a member of two Navy reunion groups, and he and June made two fun trips to reunions in October 2023: one to Utica, New York and one to Pensacola, Florida. Bob was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He is survived by his wife, June, sons Robert (Michaele) and Russell, granddaughter Alaina (Andrew) Helsel, grandson, Kyle (Tiffany Keeton) Feuillerat, great-granddaughter, Allysandra Feuillerat and greatgranddaughter expected April 2024, Riley Harper Helsel. He is also survived by Cousins: David (Linda) Fish, Sylvia (Rick) Fosnaugh, William Fish, Jerry (Annette Allen) Fish, Rev. Robert Heinlein and Barbara Heinlein. Also important is his life and surviving are his brother-in-law, John S. (Sue) Nolen; sister-in-law, Susan N. (Lee) Tonne and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and valued friends. From June: When Bob and I met the very first time, My sister, Susan, said that I would never date another guy and she was right! It was the riskiest thing I have ever done in my life and I don’t regret a single moment of the almost 63 years we’ve had together. I miss him terribly and, even though my head knows that he’s at peace and in a much better place, my heart still hurts. From Robert: My dad, my hero, mentor, and friend. You can't sum up a lifetime of experiences in a paragraph. Parents and children never see eye-to-eye on everything, which is how my dad and I were, especially in my teenage years. He didn't care for the music I listened to, or my hair style, but he knew it was my life and needed to live it my way. I recall when I was thinking about military service, I asked him if I should go into the Navy and he said "I'll be proud of you no matter what you decide, but it's your decision, you will be living with it, not me." One of my proudest moments was my dad, a commissioned officer, swearing me into the Army. Thanks for everything. I miss you, Dad. From Russ: My father, My dad, a great man. There are so many stories and tales to tell, but I'm going with my favorite. I was hanging out one day at a bar and my dad came to visit me, he approached one of my friends and asked them if they knew where I was (I was in the back throwing darts), my friend told me later that all he could do was look up and point, he said "that dude scared me", I laughed and said, “It's just my dad”. Military services will be held on Saturday, January 27, 2024 at Rutherford Funeral Home, 450 W. Olentangy St., Powell, Ohio. Visitation will be from 1-3pm and services conducted by Rev. Robert Heinlein will begin at 3pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Association of Naval Aviation at: anahq.org. or Kobacker House at: foundation.ohiohealth.com or other charity of choice.

Robert Allen Feuillerat

January 4, 1942 - January 17, 2024