It was raining cats and dogs - I walked home from school in my Macintosh black raincoat for lunch at noon to discover a new Brother - I didn't even know that there was a new baby on the way. Dad was pleased - another son! Dr. Frank Lyttle delivered him. I was excited to see the new baby in mother's arms in her bed. I was only 7 years old and couldn't wait to get back to school to tell the teacher and class. 1930 was the last good year for our country - then the stock market crashed - jobs were lost and our Dad lost his job on the railroad. Times became tougher for the family.

The new born son was named ROBERT (after his uncle -Dads brother) and Bruce (after a pharmacist friend of the family). Meb and I shared a double bed in our own bedroom. Bob was given his own bed and bedroom. As we grew in those times, we had to pitch in and help the survival process. Bob became the little kid on the block. When any of us were late for chores or meals according to custom, Mother would address the neighbors in a loud call,
"Did anyone see any of Mrs. Leisey's "ANGELS"?
From that time on all four of us lived with that beloved title well deserved! Bob at that time was the littlest Angel.

We all learned a lot about hard work - work in the garden, sawing wood with a crosscut saw for the furnace, selling vegetables, berries and dandelions to the neighborhood and beyond. Better things happened in 1937 - Dad was re-employed on the railroad full time. Another ANGEL was born - Donald, and we moved from Birdsboro to Churchhill in Honey Brook township - a long way out in the country! Dad worked on the railroad in Coatesville. The first family car was bought.

By this time BOB was in second grade and he was enrolled in the Churchill School - (Meb too) - this was a country school with eight grades in one room. His teacher was Miss Irma Greer who pushed her students to perform. BOB learned and showed interest in math. He probably became the most skilled in math of all the ANGELS.

BOB lived in the country for four years - moving from Churchill to Suplee and then to Honey Brook in 1942. World war II started for the USA. I was away at Penn State and then enlisted in the Marines. BOB did many jobs around home and became the original MR Chips salesman on the door-to-door tour in Honey Brook. He attended Honey Brook High and did well as a student and athlete - particularly a good baseball player. I remember BOB sending me packages of food including potato chips when I was with the Marines in the Pacific. BOB graduated from Honey Brook High.

After the war, Mary Helen became a Registered Nurse and we returned to Penn State. There were some tough times at home - mother was Ill and had to have an operation. Bob and Don, still at home, were concerned for mother's ability to survive. Mary Helen attended and nursed mother at the Pottstown Hospital and then at home. She also took care of those two ANGELS and there was a bonding that lasted all these years. Bob was urged to go to college, but his interest was making money to buy a car, court Betty Jane Stauffer (BECK) and marry, which they did and raised their family SANDY and RICK. He loved them and did everything possible for their well-being. Those kids traveled, did years of competitive swimming and many other activities. BOB also served in the Pennsylvania National Guard.

We visited BOB and BECK and family when they lived in Ohio, where BOB worked for Sun Pipe Line company. At one point BOB was injured in an explosion on the pipe line. This was a rough time in his life. He was later promoted to a traffic management position at Sun and the family moved into the Erbs Mill Road home. He later worked as traffic manager for another firm in the transportation industry. He also became injured and hospitalized. This was the start of a long period of disabilities. His wife Beck and family were always supportive of his needs.

Throughout all of his long illness, he was dedicated to his family; he wanted to be with them - his grand children were his delight. He was a family first father and husband. He will be sorely missed by all of us.

This provides a story of BOB'S life, which is sketchy and can best be filled in with detail by those who lived the life with BOB.

Prepared by A L Leisey 12/7/2005