June 16, 1923 - July 11, 2012

GOSHEN — Arthur R. "Art" "Bob" Tait, 89, of Goshen, passed away of natural causes at 9:40 p.m. Wednesday, July 11, 2012, at IU Health Goshen Hospital.

He was born June 16, 1923, in Lakewood, Ohio, to the late Arthur and Eleanor (Ross) Tait.

On Jan. 1, 1943, he married the love of his life, E. Virginia "Ginny" Wiseman in Elkhart. She survives at home after 69 years of marriage.

Also surviving are daughters Sharon J. (David) Grow of South Bend and Shirley K. Yacuk of Fishers; son Larry A. (Barbara) Tait of Holly, Mich.; brother Donald S. (Kaye) Tait of Saginaw, Mich.; sister Lois E. Jolley of Pinellas Park, Fla.; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Along with his family, Bob will be missed by his special sidekick fox terrier, Maggie.

Bob spent most of his life in the Elkhart County area working as a cement mason. He also served as a custodian for Concord Junior High School for over 10 years and spent another 10 years at Servomation Co. of Elkhart.

He was a 1942 graduate of Bristol High School. He was also a 37-year charter member of Trail Riders Saddle Club and was a lifetime member of Amateur Radio Club, where his call sign was K9DHC.

In his younger years, he spent much of his free time camping with his family and Trail Riders Club. He and his wife enjoyed riding their horses, Rattler and Dutch. In his later years, he became interested in computers and taught himself how to repair and program them.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, where he served as a crew chief with the Third Air Force at Hunter Field in Savannah, Ga., repairing B-17s that had been damaged in combat.

A celebration of Bob's life will begin with a visitation at noon followed by a service at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 15, 2012, at Billings Funeral Home, Elkhart. The family will then proceed to Little Pine Cemetery in Goshen, where graveside military honors will be rendered by Goshen Veterans Honor Guard and the U.S. Air Force Funeral Honor Guard.

Online condolences can be made by visiting www.billingsfuneralhome.com.

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