Robert Junge

Robert "Bob" Dean Junge, 76 of Ridgefield, WA, formerly of Sioux City, died November 1, 2015 at his residence following a battle with lung cancer.

Bob was born October 5, 1939 in Doon, Iowa, the son of William & Elizabeth (Kershbergen) Junge. He graduated from Central High School Sioux City, Iowa in December 1957 and then entered the U.S. Navy in San Diego where he became an air traffic controller.

He married his high school sweetheart, Caroline "Kitty" Schweitzer on December 28, 1958 at Augustana Lutheran Church in Sioux City Iowa. They were stationed first in Jacksonville, FL and then Key West, Florida. He ranked the top 10 as Air Traffic Controlman out of a class of 349. After his discharge from the Navy in 1962; they returned to Sioux City where he continued to serve in the Naval Reserve until March of 1964. During this time, he worked for McKesson Robbins and Belles Hess. In 1967 he moved his family to Albuquerque, NM to manage the pharmacy department for Belles Hess but his real calling of being an air traffic controller was running in his veins. Bob returned to air traffic control school at Oklahoma City 1970. He remained an air traffic controller and an FAA Liaison for the remainder of his career. Bob and Kitty transferred their family to Las Vegas, NV in 1980. Bob worked at McCarran Airport, Edwards AFB, and Nellis AFB receiving numerous awards and commendations during his career until he was diagnosed with a rare form of squamous cell lymph node cancer in 1999; he beat it and was cancer free for 15 years until his diagnosis with lung cancer in 2015. He retired completely after his 2000 recovery in order to care for Kitty when she became ill with cancer. Kitty passed away in July of 2002.

Bob loved to hunt, fish and could occupy himself organizing and re-organizing his tackle box. Bob could write poetry or spin a good yarn. He inherited the talent of playing practical jokes from his mother. Even when he was bested, he would give credit where credit was due and then promptly begin his next plot of a return joke. He loved to sing anything from Gospel; the 1950's to Country and could even yodel a time or two. Bob was gifted with the ability to play by ear on the accordion or piano, any song requested. His motto was always "you can do anything you put your mind to." Some of his past times were working crossword puzzles with Fox News in the background and reading books of adventures about the West, mountain men and the sea from Jack London to Louie L'Amour. In fact, he owned every single Louie L'Amour title.

After Kitty's death, Bob met Barb Warner and they had seasonal homes in both Ridgefield, WA and Wellton, AZ. They traveled extensively during their time together enjoying places such as Alaska, New Orleans, The Bahamas, Hawaii, and the Panama Canal. One of Bob's last adventures was a safari hunting trip with his son and grandson to South Africa.

He is survived by his two daughters and their husbands, Deborah and Mark Schechinger of Harlan, Iowa and Theresa and Robert Nelson of Las Vegas; his son and his wife, Steve and Pam Junge of Las Vegas; four grandchildren (Gaylen, Rebecca, Laura, Hunter); three great-grandchildren (Aubrey, Harper, Colt); two brothers and their wives, Bill and Barb Junge of Arnold's Park, and Gary and Judy Junge of LeMars, Iowa, one sister-in-law, Bonnie Junge of Sioux City, Iowa.; and Barb Warner of Ridgefield, WA; several nieces and nephews, and other extended family.

He was preceded in death by his wife Caroline "Kitty" Junge, both his parents William and Elizabeth Junge, and a younger brother Kenneth "Butch" Junge.

A Celebration of Life will take place Wednesday, November 11, 2015 at 2:00 PM at Davis Funeral Home, 1401 S. Rainbow Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89146.

Service