Obituary of Robert Hugh Arrington

Robert Arrington, 90, passed away peacefully in Rockledge, Florida on Friday, January 20, 2017. Born in 1926 in southeastern Kentucky, Bob joined the Army Air Corps at the age of 15 during World War II. As an aircraft mechanic and crew chief, he was stationed in China during the latter half of the War. He re-enlisted after the war, and was stationed in Germany as a crew chief and flight engineer. This is where he met his beloved wife, Lina Helga Bach. 1948 marked the beginning of 60 years of marriage. . Over the following 16 years, the service took Bob and his family to bases in Texas, New Mexico, California, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, and North Dakota. While spending 4 years in Puerto Rico, Bob in his spare time enjoyed fishing, water skiing, scuba diving, and became the President of the SCUBA dive club. He and his wife, Helga, raised two sons and one daughter. Bob was awarded the United States Air Force Commendation Medal on May 31st, 1964. After retiring from the Air Force in 1964 as a Chief Master Sargent, Bob and his family eventually settled in Rockledge, Florida in 1966. Bob worked on Launch Pads A and B of the Saturn Rocket programs (which were used by the Space Shuttle and are still in use today) as an engine specialist and as a quality control engineer for the Saturn V, Apollo Program before joining Westinghouse as a field service engineer, where he repairing steam turbines and generators at various power plants. Traveling across the country and abroad, Bob served as project manager and lead engineer before his retirement in 1986. After retirement, Bob continued to work independently, specializing in technical support of power plant operations as a contracted chief engineer. As a husband, father, and grandfather, Bob led his family in trying new things and learning new sports and pastimes. Bob enjoyed playing tennis with his wife, children, grandchildren and friends. He also enjoyed taking his family boating and water skiing on the Intercostal Waterway, as well as off-shore fishing around Florida. Bob also had many adventures traveling and snow skiing with his family. He also enjoyed flying his 1975 Grumman American four-seated Tiger aircraft. Survivors include his two sons, Steve and Ronnie, their wives, Doris and Beverly, respectively; his daughter, Sandy, and her husband, Rick; his four grandchildren, Lauren, Sonja, Philip, and Josh; as well as his two great-grandchildren, Vincent and Lina. We will honor and celebrate his life on Sunday,January 22, 2017 at 2 p.m., at Ammen Family Cremation & Funeral Care, 1001 South Hickory Street, Melbourne, Florida 32901. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to: The American Cancer Society (800-227-2345).