Robert N. Bemis

Robert N. Bemis died July 3, 2008. He was born the son of the late Norman C. and Ann (Flinn) Bemis in Stamford, Connecticut, on November 14, 1943. He attended school in East Providence, Rhode Island, and college at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.

Mr. Bemis retired from civil service at Robins Air Force Base in 2004 as the first Director of Services for the Air Force Reserve Command. He was responsible for home-base and deployed feeding and lodging, Mortuary Affairs, Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs and reserve staffing of the Air Force Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base. He personally managed 200 Air Force Reservists at the mortuary processing remains from the terrorist aircraft crash into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 and following other incidents, such as the Unadilla, Georgia, crash of a Florida National Guard plane.

Mr. Bemis was also retired from the Air Force. While he served in Vietnam, he was credited with rescuing five crew members from a crashed helicopter during munitions explosions and extensive fire conditions. When serving as Fire Chief at Grand Forks Air Force Base, he was responsible for fire protection for the very large base, the surrounding civilian community, and 150 missile sites scattered over the northeastern quarter of North Dakota. At 26, he was identified as the youngest fire chief in the Air Force. From 1976 to 1979, he was assigned as General Manager and Deputy to the Base Commander at a large full service military resort in the Philippines.

He had more than 42 years of total service to the Air Force and received numerous military and civilian awards and decorations. He was past president of the International Military Community Executives Association (IMCEA) and was honored by the Armed Forces Recreation Society as recipient of their Executive Fellow Award. He also served in France, Great Britain, Korea, and at several locations in the U.S., including three major command headquarters. He was a member of the Air Force Association, the National Rifle Association, NARFE, IMCEA, the American Legion, and was a Life Member of the Air Force Sergeants Association.

Mr. Bemis is survived by his wife, Cynthia Bemis, Hawkinsville, and their three children. He was the proud father of JoAnne Bemis, Hawkinsville, Karen Bemis, Boston, Massachusetts, and Stephen A. Bemis, Perry and uncle of Diane Austin, Warrick, Rhode Island, Norman E. Bemis, Honolulu, Hawaii, Sheri Bemis, Oxford, Massachusetts and Stephen R. Bemis, Chepachet, Rhode Island. He was predeceased by his parents and brother.

A memorial service will be held at Robins Air Force Base Chapel at 10:00 a.m.on Saturday, July 12, 2008. Mr. Bemis' remains will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Georgia Sheriffs Youth Home, P. O. Box 1000, Stockbridge GA 30281-9878.


Funeral Home:
McCullough Funeral Home
417 S. Houston Lake Rd.
Warner Robins, GA
US 31088