Robert Joseph Himmel

Robert Joseph Himmel, New Jersey transplant, tech fanatic, jokester, human GPS, life-long NRA member, and green-thumbed skeet shooting enthusiast, passed away on Saturday, April 22, 2017. Robert was the oldest living member of the "Coast Rifle and Pistol Club," and the last surviving member of his original New Jersey family. Robert was known to his friends and family as "Bob." While stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in 1950, Bob met a local girl named Anastasia Pitalo at the skating rink, it was love at first sight, the two sharing hands in marriage for over 66 years. The details of Bob's life are exactly what makes him a part of the "greatest generation," being named so because their stories and hardships are the stuff of hyperbole, and hard to imagine today. Bob's first job was resetting bowling pins for 5 cents an hour, and in those days there were no machines, so Bob would stand in between two lanes and try his darndest to not get socked by flying pins and bowling balls as he hopped back and forth between the lanes, picking up the pins and resetting them in place as fast as humanly possible. You might have bought a television or washing machine from Bob during the 25 years he worked for Sears and Roebuck, and if you did, you were better off for it. Bob not only knew every detail to all the latest gizmos and gadgets, but he took pride in being the first person in town to own and operate the latest and best cameras, televisions, and stereo equipment. Long before the computer age, Bob was a self-taught photographer with the eye of a true artist, and a subconscious knack for editing that can be seen in the thousands of photographs and hours of home video he shot. When it came to raising a family, Bob was a punctual and stern father, what people in the family referred to as “being German.” But his austerity paid off, having raised three successful children who all adored him. If you knew Bob then you would know he couldn’t be boiled down to a single word. Bob instilled decency in his children and grandchildren by insisting that they always keep their word, and always be on time. He was a master of living within his own means, had a tool for every problem, a solution to every conundrum, an answer to every question. Bob had a gracious spirit and tried his best to steer clear of negative and self-deprecating or derogatory words. Things were never “cheap,” they were “inexpensive.” People were never “fat,” they were heavy-set. Bob was a friend to everyone, loved to laugh, and lived for road-trips, memorizing every map he ever could get his hands on, a human GPS. Bob loved good beer, shooting pool, planting trees, and telling other people how to drive. Bob’s favorite movie was “Roman Holiday,” and he enjoyed family gatherings and holidays the most. Life will never be the same without him. Bob is preceded in death by his parents Richard and Florence Himmel of Garwood, New Jersey and brothers Richard, Jr. and George Himmel. Bob is survived by his wife, Anastasia (Estelle) Himmel; his children, Thomas Gray, Darlene Frentz, Randall Himmel; his seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held Wednesday, April 26, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., with a service on Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 10:00 a.m., all at the Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Biloxi City Cemetery.