On Friday, March 10, George Robert Pool Jr., a beloved husband, father, brother and grandfather passed away. He was 97 years old. Born August 13, 1925, Robert (“you can call me ‘Bob’”) grew up in Indiana and then in Arizona during the Great Depression, graduated from Caltech with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, and later receiving his master’s from Rensselaer Polytech Institute in Troy, New York. He joined the Navy during WWII, and he eventually became both an airplane and helicopter pilot. Early in his naval career he was in charge of one of the turrets containing three of the big guns of a Baltimore class heavy cruiser the USS Helena (CA-75). He retired from the Navy in 1963.
Robert fell in love with Dorothy Lee Belden, and the two were married in 1948. As they grew their Navy family, eventually to 7 children, Robert and Dorothy moved multiple times across the United States finally settling in Vista, CA in 1977. They were married for 57 years until Dorothy’s passing in 2005. Robert remarried in 2009 to his beloved wife Irma Batista Rosas (Raquel). George Robert Pool Jr. is preceded in death by his daughter Susanne, son Tom, and survived by his wife Raquel, his 5 remaining children Loralee, John, David, William, George, brother Charles, sister Florence and his numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Robert was a unique man with many old school qualities. He was intelligent, kind, and had a “don’t worry, be happy” kind of attitude. Robert had a uniquely “Pool” sense of humour. After retiring from Lockheed Shipbuilding in 1975, Robert became a tax expert, teaching entry level and advanced classes on the subject, becoming the manager of an H&R Block office in Vista, CA for 10 years and later when well into his eighties, volunteering to help the elderly with their taxes. He loved bicycling, going to Rosarito and elsewhere in Baja California Mexico, writing in his journal, reading, ice cream, and above all his family. He had both exceptional organizational skills and kindness, helping numerous people. His extraordinary life will be celebrated at a private family memorial service.
