Bob Malicoat

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Robert “Bob” Vernon Malicoat was born August 21, 1932 to Jesse and Kate (Bryant) Malicoat in New Florence. As a young boy, he helped his dad farm. He always had a love of tractors and bought two old International Super C tractors in his later years which he used on a family farm in High Hill.

In high school, Bob was the senior class president. He ran track and was a pole vaulter as well as playing ice hockey. As a young GI in the Air Force, he and a couple of friends even tried out for the Olympic bobsled team.

Bob was not raised Catholic but joined the church after being invited by friends to attend numerous CYO activities. Through the years he was an active member in the church in many different roles, including being a leader for Catholic retreats.

After high school, Bob joined the Air Force and was stationed in Germany and North Africa. As a young GI, he and his buddies bought a camel for transportation and even attempted to stow it away on an aircraft to no avail. After a few years, Bob briefly left the Air Force to return home to Montgomery City, where he met his wife Jackie. Three years later, the couple were married and off to Honolulu, Hawaii they went for Bob's first duty station after reenlisting. A year later, their first child, Jolene, was born; the first of seven.

Family and the Air Force were Bob's loves. Over his 30-year career he was stationed at numerous bases both statewide and overseas. He was stationed in Texas, Mississippi, California and Oklahoma. Overseas, he was in Germany and England. He also went to Vietnam in 1967 for a year during the conflict and was awarded the bronze star for meritorious service.

Each duty station brought new adventures and another child, completing his family of four daughters and three sons.

Bob was an avionics specialist, repairing and wiring radios for all manner of military aircraft. That knowledge later led him to build the family's first color TV, much to the excitement of all. If he wasn't building something, he was fixing it, like the family washing machine until after 30 years Jackie demanded a new one. His grandchildren always trusted grandpa could fix any toy, no matter how badly broken. He even fixed the uneven table leg at a local restaurant! On occasion Bob would also volunteer his handyman services when needed at Resurrection.

Traveling was in Bob's blood. The Air Force provided a myriad of opportunities to travel the world. Over his life he traveled to every continent except Australia and Antarctica. He and Jackie even made two around the world trips.

While stationed in England, Bob, Jackie, their seven children as well as "Grandma Julia,” Jackie's mother, spent a month traveling England, Scotland and Wales one summer. Another summer and another month was spent traveling Europe. All was done in a 27-foot motorhome which Bob skillfully maneuvered through the mountainous Alps and down narrow European streets. If there was a castle or cathedral that was missed it wasn't for lack of trying!

After 30 years in the Air Force at his last duty station in Oklahoma City as Chief Master Sergeant with the AWACS program, his favorite job, Bob retired. He moved to Wichita, Kan., to take a job in Logistics for Boeing. Ten years later and yet another retirement, Bob and Jackie went to Saudi Arabia for 7 years where Bob worked as the AWACS Intermediate Maintenance Training Coordinator while Jackie worked as a computer assistant in civil service with the Army. It was while they were living in Saudi Arabia that they made their two trips around the world, one going east to west and the other west to east each time visiting new countries.

Bob's final retirement came in 1998 when he and Jackie returned to the home they had left seven years earlier in Bel Aire, Kan. Not one to sit idle Bob spent his time tinkering, fixing things and putting together 3D puzzles. He joined a group of friends for a monthly game of poker. He was also active in the church as a Eucharistic minister and a member of the Over 50 Club. He could also be counted on to fill in when a substitute was needed for adoration. For a period of time Bob volunteered every Tuesday to work on "Doc,” the B-29 Bomber. He did the wiring for the radios and instrumentation as well as helping in other areas. The ever-present travel bug saw Bob and Jackie embark on numerous cruises with long-time friends from Missouri, JoAnn and Jay Moody as well as local friends Bob and Barbara Knapp, Shirley Luebbert and Lois Ann Weber. They even took a couple of cruises with their oldest daughter, Jolene, and son-in-law, Robert Davis. Bob also enjoyed trips to the family farm in Missouri where he could happily reconnect with his two tractors and relive some childhood days working alongside his sons and son-in-law at the lake there.

After 92 adventure-filled years and a life well lived Bob passed away on January 29, 2025 at his home with family there. What a life he lived!

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Kate Malicoat; and two sisters, Shirley Malicoat and Wilma See. He leaves behind a loving family: his wife, Jackie Malicoat of Bel Aire; seven children, Jolene (Robert) Davis of Montgomery City; Lisa (Brad) Wise, Robert (Connie), John (Stacy), Mary (Austin), James (Tonya), all of Wichita; and Laurie (Matthew) Malock of El Dorado; 14 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. He will be truly missed, however his legacy will live on through our memories until we are all reunited in God's kingdom.

A Rosary will be held at 6 p.m. on Feb. 3 and the Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Feb. 4, both at the Church of the Resurrection Catholic Church.


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