Bob Hotze

Robert Blair Hotze



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Parks AE '56




















Family Life

I've been happily married to Vi, soon to be 50 yrs. We have 4 "great" kids and 8 "grand" kids.

CHILDREN Robin, Mark, Brett, Carol
GRANDCHILDREN Clayton, Grayson, Sophia, Katerina, Madison, Anna, Chloe, Alexa
[No GreatGrandchildren.]

All four of our children are grown and successful in their careers. One lives in xxxxxxxxxx, one in Webster, one in Rock Hill, and one in Wisconsin. We have eight grandchildren.

Vi and I will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary next June.

I retired in '90 after 30+ yrs. at McDonnell Douglas. I enjoy fishing, canoe floats, bowling, woodworking, and travel.

I've had a beard since my 1st fishing trip to Canada in '74, it is gray now and I'm balding so you might not recognize me ! What follows is a boring bio…

Education

Jul. '56 graduated from Parks College of Aeronautical Engineering, St. Louis University, B.S. in A.E. and commissioned 2nd Lieutenant USAF.

Attended St. Louis University night school to receive a M.S. in engineering.

Structural Aeronautical Engineer, retired

Professional Life

Employed at McDonnell Aircraft as a engineer in structural analysis. In Oct. '56 met future wife, Vi Heuiser.

Left for USAF basic training San Antonio, TX in Jan. '57.

Came back to St. Louis in June to marry Vi while stationed at Ellington AFB TX. Received my wings as a navigator in Mar. '58 and went directly to Keesler AFB, Bioloxi, Miss. for electronic warfare officer training for my second rating.

After a month's "Air Force survival training" in CA. Was stationed in Germany and England with the Air Force "10th Tactical Reconn. Wing" from Dec. '58 to Dec. '59. I flew as an "Electronic Warfare Officer" in RB66C radar reconn. jets. Vi and I traveled throughout Europe during the year.

Returned to U.S. and while in N.Y. became guests for five days on the new Merv Griffin TV quiz show "Play Your Hunch".

Then back to Webster for Christmas of '59. In Jan. bought first house in Crestwood, Mo.. Returned McDonnell to work as structural engineer on the Mercury spacecraft. Attended St. Louis University night school to receive a M.S. in engineering.

Tried the Air Force Reserves for a short time (about one year) flying weekends and some nights. I was a captain then and flying as a navigator in C-119's. When Vietnam got hot, I got out! We had begun our family. In the summer '65 moved to Kirkwood, Mo. Continued to work at McDonnell on many of the space and missile programs for a total of ~30 years.

By '67 the family had grown to six, with two girls and two boys.

Worked six months of '73 and six months of '74 in California on the Space Shuttle at T.R.W. before McDonnell's subcontract was brought to St. Louis.

On the way to a special field assignment (with McDonnell) in Scotland (1978-79), we took the family for an extended tour of Europe and visited some of the places we had been 20 years before. Worked nine months in Scotland on test trials for placing the Harpoon Missiles in British nuclear submarines. Family accompanied me on all these trips but we kept our home in Kirkwood to return to.

Worked the last 10 years on a laser communication system for a classified U.S. spy satellite. Received a U.S. patent for support structure of the laser system. Retired from McDonnell/Douglas two days after 55th birthday and on our 33rd wedding anniversary in June 29th of '90.

That summer Vi and I celebrated with a vacation trip to Alaska. Began designing our retirement home and after hiring an architect to bring our ideas together, started building in June '91. With the help of my youngest son who had just graduated from college, my oldest brother, Vi of course, and a few fishing buddies we had the house under roof in six months. (At one point it took about 20 friends and neighbors to raise the west wall). We moved in about two years after the start. At this date I'm working on the last uncompleted area, a cabinet for the game room.

I've always enjoyed woodworking and Vi sewing (i.e. she made the girls wedding dresses etc.) so in '80 we started entering craft shows. Our co. name is "HOT-Z-CRAFT inc.". It helped me to have a nice woodworking shop and get the kids through college! We stopped doing craft shows in '95 when it became "work".

We traveled a lot while our children were growing up and Vi and I continue to travel. We bought a Minnie - Winnebago motor home in '97. We just returned from our annual trip to Rocky Mountain National Park (Aug). Traveled on many Canadian fishing trips with McDonnell friends, wife and brothers. I also do float fishing and camping on the clear spring fed streams of the Mo. Ozarks. (National Scenic Rivers)

In Feb Vi and I go on our annual (16 now) winter vacation trips to St. John's in USVI for two or three weeks in the National Park at Cinnamon Bay.