Grandfather, defense industry project manager, US Army veteran

Longtime Claremont resident Robert “Bob” Boss died June 2 at Claremont Manor Care Center.

Bob was born in Pomona, Missouri on January 11, 1925, to Robert and Bonnie (Hamilton) Boss. As a young child the family moved to central Iowa. He joined the United States Army in 1946 and served in Japan until his honorable discharge in 1948.

In August of 1950 he started his career at Aerojet in Azusa, California. In 1960 he was appointed project manager of the Fort Churchill Rocket Research Range in Manitoba, Canada. This is where he met Patricia C. Bonnell, who was a schoolteacher at Fort Churchill. On September 2, 1961, the couple were married in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and later moved to Glendora, California.

In June 1963 they moved to Claremont, where they lived in the same house for 56 years. In 1989 he retired from Aerojet. In 2019 the couple moved to Claremont Manor.

He was predeceased by his parents and nine siblings.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Pat; son Randall (Kim) Boss; daughters Kathryn (Michael) Parker, Bonnie (Drew) Neal; grandsons Spencer and Colin Boss and Benjamin and Andrew Neal; brother Don (Florence) Boss; as well as several nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws.

The family would like to thank Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, Claremont Manor, Claremont Manor Care Center, VITAS Healthcare and Todd Memorial Chapel for their wonderful care.

The family will hold a private service.