Dates
Robert Marion Minton, Jr. (Bob) passed away Wednesday, June 17, 2015 in San Angelo. Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 10:00am at Johnson's Funeral Home Chapel will burial to follow at Fairmount Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday, June 22, 2015 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the funeral home. He was born in McAlester, Oklahoma on December 26, 1922 to Robert Marion Minton, Sr. and Ollie Thompson. He and his family moved to California and Arizona, before settling in San Angelo, Texas in November of 1928.
Bob attended the San Angelo public schools until he was old enough to enter the New Mexico Military in Roswell, NM. While at N.M.M.I., he was on the football, polo, and gymnastics teams. He graduated from N.M.M.I. in May of 1943. From there, he went to Officers Training School at Ft. Benning, GA, where he became an Infantry Officer. Next, he went to Camp Roberts in California and then to Camp Adair in Oregon, where he was in charge of the regimental tank and mine demolition platoons.
In the winter of 1944, Bob sailed from New York City, aboard the Queen Mary, to Glasgow, Scotland. From there he took a train to South Hampton, England. After crossing the English Channel, he landed at Omaha Beach, traveled to St. Lo under General Omar Bradley. Out of St. Lo he joined the Third Army under General George Patton.
Then the Third Army fought it's way to Paris, Toule, Nancy, and then to Kaiserlaten, Germany. Next to Metz and from there to Luxenbourg, and Bastone where The Battle of the Buldge took place. Bob was a demolition expert clearing mines and working ahead of the armored tanks through France, Germany, Luxenbourg, Belgium, Czechoslavakia, and Austria.
Bob was awarded 3 Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, the European ribbon with 4 stars, the Victory Combat Infantry badge, and the Occupation ribbon. He was wounded in Germany in 1945 and was honorably discharged as a Captain in April of 1953.
He graduated from the University of Texas with a BBA in Accounting and Marketing in January 1949.
He married Carolyn Brock in Erie, PA on December 30, 1947. The couple lived in Austin and Midland before moving to San Angelo in September of 1967.
He was the president and owner of R.M. Minton Distributing Company.
His wife, parents, and siblings Mary Jo Bunnell and William S. Minton preceded him in death.
He is survived by his Children, Cynthia Spence, Rhonda Pope and Phil Pope, Brock Minton and Cynthia Jean Minton and Mark Minton; Grandchildren, Kenneth Land and Suzanne Land, Stephanie Shull, Cherilyn Acevedo, Tamara Currie and Chase Currie; Great Grandchildren, Alyssa and Cobey Land, River and Kirsten Shull, Angelina Acevedo, Carolyn Currie and Lauren Currie.