Robert Franklin Sturgeon, Jr.

Passed away peacefully in his sleep early Thursday morning Nov. 10, 2016 after a long illness. Born on March 17, 1934 in Higbee, Missouri, he grew up in Rock Springs, Wyoming. He qualified for Air Force cadet training and was a 2nd lieutenant in the Air Force. He flew the F-86 Sabre fighter jet and was stationed at Panama City and Valdosta. After leaving the Air Force, he attended Florida State University graduating with highest honors in two years. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and Pi Mu Epsilon Mathematics. He sent one more year in graduate school earning a Master’s Degree in Nuclear Physics. Offered a job at Los Alamos National Laboratory, he chose to join Lockheed Martin as an aerospace engineer. He was engineering program manager for the F22. When the F22 was moved to California, he decided to stay in Georgia and became engineering program manager for the C-130J. He loved his job, but due to illness retired early. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Sandra Stewart Sturgeon of Atlanta, his son, Richard Stewart Sturgeon and grandson, Luca Wesley Sturgeon, both of Brooklyn, NY. He was a member of Florida State Univ. Boosters Club and Mensa. . Online condolences may be expressed at www.csog.com.