Date of Birth:
Sunday, March 18, 1917
Date of Death:
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Age:
94 years old

Robert K. Bee

Robert Bee was born March 18, 1917 in Gresham, Oregon.  He grew up in upstate New York and graduated from high school in Homer, New York.  In June 1941 he graduated from New York State Institute of Technology at Delhi, New York.

On July 31, 1941 he entered the Army at Fort Niagara, NY and was discharged October 29, 1945; with the rank of T/Sergeant.  He was HDQ Co Supply Sergeant for the 743^rd Tank Battalion, which landed the first tanks on Omaha Beach, on D-Day, World War II.  After fighting across France, the 743 Tank Battalion was the first American tank unit to enter both Belgium and then Holland.  They also fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and later after fighting in Germany, they met the Russian Army at the Elbe River at the closing of World War II in Europe.

Mr. Bee received the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, Army Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Europe-Africa Middle East Medal with 5 campaign stars, Victory Medal WWII, and World War II Occupation (Germany) Medal.  He also received the Presidential Unit Citation and the Meritorious Unit Citation Ribbons.  He was awarded the Fourragrere Decoration by Belgium.

On April 13, 1942, he married Marjorie F. Grindrod in Riverside, California.  In 1946 he was employed by IBM at Poughkeepsie, NY, transferring to the new IBM Rochester site in 1956, retiring in 1975.

Mr. Bee was a member of the Congregational Church, IBM Quarter Century Club, American Legion Post 92, life member of VFW Post 629, and a life member of the IBM Retirees’ Club.  He enjoyed archaeology, fishing, photography and traveling.

He is survived by his wife Marjorie Grindrod Bee; one son, Roger W. (Rita) Bee of Corinth, Texas; one daughter-in-law, Susan Bee of Lake City, Minnesota, wife of Kenneth Bee who passed away on December 13, 2011; 6 grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren; 3 sisters, Alice Corcoran of Schnectady, NY, Marion Bee of Niskayuna, NY and Frances Carleton of Salem, Virginia.  He was preceded in death by his parents, one son and three brothers.

The funeral will be 11:00am Wednesday March 21, 2012 at River Park Chapel, Macken Funeral Home with Rev. Jerald Barnhart officiating.  A visitation will be one hour prior to the service on Wednesday.  Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery.