Robert Mckenna

McKenna

Robert "Bob" T

October 8, 1930 - June 28, 2017

Passed away peacefully

Bob was born in Minneapolis and grew up in the St Paul area where his father owned "McKenna's Five and Dime" stores. He attended Cretin High School, graduating in 1948. In 1950 he enlisted in the Minnesota Air National Guard and began a 34 year career retiring in 1984 as a Chief Master Sergeant and First Sergeant of the 126th Air Refueling Wing in Chicago, IL. He did a tour of duty in Guam during the Korean War, and participated in a long term military exercise named Operation Creek Party during the 1960s, which was the first usage of Air National Guard planes and troops in a European deployment.

During most of that time, and continuing on until his retirement in 1992, Bob worked for Mobil Oil. He started off as a book keeper at a small office on University Ave. in St Paul and worked his way up to being an office manager in the Chicago area, and then transferred to Virginia to become a Senior Pricing Analyst at the corporate headquarters. In his retirement, Bob became proficient at book binding repair and volunteered at several libraries while also getting access to all of the latest books to read.

Bob is preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Francis as well as his sisters, Alice and Jean. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Noreen; children, Terese (Mark) Berens, Jodell (Edward) Zimmers, Kevin (Nancy), Timothy, and David (Stephanie); 12 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; and many loving nieces, nephews, family and friends who will all miss his calm kindness. There will be a visitation from 10am until 11am , followed by a Funeral Mass at 11am, all at BOUTWELLS LANDING AUDITORIUM, 5600 Norwich Parkway, Oak Park Heights, MN. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the library of St Croix Catholic School, 621 Third Street South, Stillwater, MN, 55082 or Cretin-Derham Hall High School, 550 S. Albert St., St Paul, MN 55116.