Robert Randolph

HENDERSON, Ill. -- Robert G. Randolph, 79, of Henderson, formerly of Cape Girardeau, passed away at 5:45 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14, 2019, at Aperion Care North.

He was born Jan. 28, 1940, in Cape Girardeau, the son of Otis H. and Olga L. Hellwege Randolph.

Robert was a long-time resident of Oquawka, Illinois. He graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High in 1958. He participated in track. He was a letterman in 1958 and won a bronze medal in the Big Eight Conference. He enjoyed fishing, golf and archery. He joined Bootheel Bow Hunters and participated in many tournaments throughout Missouri and Illinois.

Robert joined the Army in 1959. He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He then transferred to Fort Ord, California, Engineers CDEC (combat development experimentation command), attached to Hunter Leggit, tank experiment warfare. In 1959, he was transferred to Inchon, Korea, working at a water purification site with the 137th Engineers detached. He was later transferred to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with the engineers, assisting with training of classroom officers. He was honorably discharged in 1962.

In 1975, he took a job in Biloxi, Mississippi, with the Department of Defense, U.S. Air Force, updating dial central offices. He traveled extensively throughout the U.S., including Alaska. In 1977, he joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves in Biloxi (Keesler Air Force Base) to gain further knowledge of working with the Air Force and civil service. His duties were as a combat communications specialist. Robert was to furnish command and control land-line communications. He traveled worldwide assisting command phone systems.

In 1980, he transferred to Fort Walton Beach, Florida. His jobs were plenty, installing key business telephone systems, site surveys, assisting command with communications during field exercises, overseeing supplies on hand to complete all jobs and training airmen on installation procedures. Robert attained supervisor of outside plant. His deployments consisted of the United Kingdom, Germany and Antigua, helping set up radio communications for Hurricane Hunters Weather Squadron. He provided phones for command centers in the U.S. and Europe as combat communications for fighter squadron and medical MASH units. Robert attained the rank of technical sergeant (E6). In 1997, Robert was medically retired after 26 years of service.

Robert is survived by his children, Robert and Melissa; and niece, Angela (Mike) Harroun of Galesburg, Illinois.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Don Michael Randolph.

A memorial service was held Nov. 5 at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Directors and Cremation Services in Galesburg, with Chaplain Jordan Knight officiating.

Burial will be at 11 a.m. Nov. 23 at Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery.

Memorials may be to the Defenders of Freedom Veterans Home.

Online condolences may be sent at h-p-w.com.