His Story

The results of interviews with Bobby’s classmates at their 10th bi-annual alumni reunion, on September 18, 2021, are in.  They reveal how much they enjoyed being with him.  Bobby’s classmates helped to establish the important areas of his character that remained the same from grade one, through their transition from one room schools in 1954, to graduation from Oxford High in 1960, and on.  Two of his closest friends were in attendance, Philip Edwards, and Donald Gordan.  They were eager to tell their story, often adding to each other’s thoughts and laughing or joking about their collective or individual experiences with him.

Their most vivid memories describe the stature of a small boy with a heart, as big as the world.  Most of these memories were at VillaNova School, which was later repurposed as a home, Villa Nova Cottage and later, unknowingly purchased by his Gold Star Mother, Viola S. Brown-Davis and bequeathed to his niece some years later.

Bobby was described as quiet and reserved (Osborne Moran).  He was easy going and very nice.  A great classmate. “I remember him as a dear quiet, mannerly fellow whom everyone liked” (Elma Moran Dean).  He got along well with others particularly during recess.  George Nickels, who kept the furnace going at Villa Nova recalled a rather unnerving incident where one of the teachers wasn’t nice to any of the students.  If the student forgot their pencil or tablet (the old kind), or she just felt like it, she would call them names and crack them, anywhere on their body, with a ruler - not once but several times if she felt like it.  On one occasion Bobby’s pencil was taken by another student and the same teacher slammed Bobby against the wall for seemingly not having his.  He didn’t cry or tell on the other guy. Upon returning home from school, his classmates told their parents, and the woman was fired.  George Nickels said lovingly, “Bobby wasn’t going to cry, he just wouldn’t”.  He took it for the classmate just as it appears he did for his comrades, that’s why the” V” on the Bronze Star, for valor.  Bobby was loved by the entire class of 1960 and was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017.

Conversations from Interviews coming soon: 

Two: “The extra curriculum” 

Three: Friends as teenagers

Four: Family recollections

Five: Letters from a Soldier