Robert Clayton Yowan – Monongahela
Robert Clayton Yowan, 95, of Monongahela, met his heavenly Father on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. He was born in 1926, as the youngest of 12, in Collinsburg. His favorite boyhood memories include skating and sledding on the frozen Youghiogheny River with his best friend, Len Laurich. In high school, he felt the call to join the Army Air Corps, serving as a ball turret gunner in a B-17 bomber. His greatest test came as he flew in the single largest air armada assault on Dec. 24, 1944. That day he joined the Caterpillar Club, deploying his parachute over Belgium, and was rescued by the kindness of local farmers. He was honor-ably discharged with a Purple Heart shortly after. He entered the University of Pittsburgh in June 1946 with assistance from the GI Bill. Bob thrived on learning to be a mechanical engineer, becoming an early member of the Pi Tau Sigma fraternity at Pitt and joining the Sigma Tau fraternity. He married the love of his life, Elizabeth Stahlman, on May 17, 1952, and they celebrated 69 years of a loving marriage and raised three wonderful children together. Bob was an active member of the Monongahela community. He was enthusiastic about sharing its local history and carrying out the good work of Grace Lutheran Church as president of the church council and many other roles. He was employed by West Penn Power and the U.S. Steel Corporation, Clairton Works. Bob was passionate and gifted in his work, presenting papers on instrumentation control at national engineering conferences and serving as a lifetime member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Instrument Society of America. As an involved member of his community, he also served as president of the Monongahela Lions Club and Mon Valley Golden Panthers. He held leadership positions in both Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts and was a member of the Disabled American Veterans, Carroll Township American Legion and Monongahela Elks. Though he didn’t always find talking about his time in war easy, Bob served a six-year term as the Pennsylvania state chapter director of the 8th Air Force Historical Society and retired in 2020 as the president of the Western Pennsylvania wing of the 8th Air. Some of his favorite memories were of his travels with Betty to the numerous annual meetings of the 487th Air Force bomb group and the many friends he made there. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, siblings and their spouses, along with a granddaughter, Megan Crowley. He is survived by his wife Betty; and their children, Susan (Dan) Crowley and their daughter Maura; David (Cynthia) and children Michael, Christopher (daughter Genie), Vivian, Steven and Patrick; and Tim (Andrea) and children Lindsey and Tyler. Special thanks to Joyce Odell and Bertie and George Poziviak for their loving care and support to Bob and Betty. Bob’s life was a commitment to faith, family and service. He left an indelible impression of courage, optimism and hard work on all who knew him. He will be truly and deeply missed. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 to 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, at MARSHALL MARRA FUNERAL HOME, 216 Chess St., Monongahela, 724-258-6767. Additional visitation will be held in the funeral home from 11- 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, followed by a funeral service beginning at noon with Pastor Matthew Stabe officiating at Grace Lutheran Church, 911 Howard St., Monongahela, with military honors conducted by the Mon Valley Honor Guard and Firing Squad. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Grace Lutheran Church. Online condolences can be made at marshallmarrafuneralhome.com.
