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George Robert Blitch
George Robert Blitch was born on 31 October 1931 in Austin, Texas. He was appointed to West Point from the 3rd Congressional District of Texas and entered on 3 July 1951. He was in Company G1, played baseball for two years and was a corporal his 2nd Class year. His First Class year, he was a Lieutenant and company Executive Officer. He graduated on 7 June 1955 and was commissioned in the US Air Force.
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How I met That Special Her
During our summer leave in 1954, I was at home in Tyler, Texas. I had recently become disengaged (keep it clean) from another young lady. Lack of a OAO was weighing heavily on my libido. With only a few days remaining until we were due back to begin our First Class year, I was in dire need of some female companionship.
My younger brother Bill (Class of '60, USMA) suggested that I call Miss Boles who was his speech /drama teacher at Tyler High School. My response was 'who wants to go out with an old school teacher when I have only a few days left at home?'. He said that Miss Boles was a cute, classy lady who was about our age and that I should reconsider calling her. After some thought, I finally decided not to call Miss Boles.
I did, however, remember that a friend Helen Waller was living in town. Helen and I had been friends since elementary school so, we could catch up on some mutual friends. No romantic interest would be involved. I could return to West Point with no girlfriend obligations.
Helen was living in an apartment. I dialed her number. A female voice said hello. But, I knew it was not Helen. When I asked if Helen was at home, the female voice replied, 'No. I am her roommate'. I said, 'Who are you?'. The voice said 'I am Mary Boles and who are you?' After I told her my name, she asked if I had a brother in high school named Bill. I said I did. She said that she was his speech teacher.
Quickly thinking I had nothing to lose, I asked if she would like to go out for a Coke. She declined the offer with the excuse that she was putting photographs in an album. I opined that she could do that later after I left town. After a long pause, she agreed to join me in a 'coke' date but, only for a brief time.
That 'brief' time lasted until three o'clock the next morning. We seemed destined to see each other again. In fact, we were together the next three evenings. I was most certainly, to use the expression from the movie 'Bambi', twitterpated.
I went back to West Point. Mary was on her way to The University of Virginia to get her Master's Degree. We saw each other a few times during the year, either at West Point or UVA and during Christmas leave. She attended our graduation on June 7th and I attended hers on June 13th. We drove back to Tyler with a brief stop in Georgia to attend Roy and Ann Dunaway's wedding.
We were married in Tyler, Texas on July 9, 1955. That 'brief' time has become almost 56 years and....I am still 'twitterpated'.
Bob Blitch
8 May 2011
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TAPS Check List fo Bob Blitch
1. Birthplace and date: Austin. Texas - October 31, 1931
2. Parents: George A. and Estelle Glenn Blitch
3. Siblings: William Thomas (Bill) Blitch born August 5, 1 936(Class of '60, USMA)
4. High school graduated from: Tyler High School. TyLer, Texas
5. High school sports: Baseball, basketball
6. Other High school activities: Band (clarinet), orchestra violin) plays. National Honor Society
7. Non-school activities: Boy Scouts
B. Civilian College: North Texas Agricultural College (Freshman)48-49, name changed to Arlington State College
(Sophomore)49-50, The University of Texas (Junior) 50-51--ROTC all three years
9. Civilian College sports: none
10. Prior muitary service: none
11. Type of appointment to USMA: Congressional (Cong. Lindley Beckworth, Texas)
12. USMA Roommates: Buie, Massey, Geran, Dunaway, Anderson, Mccnamee, Hufnaget
13. Close friends at USMA: Massey, Buie, Geran, Fikaris
14. Wife info: Mary Joy Boles married July 9,1955- how we met already sent
15. Children info: Melinda Joy (8/21/59), Betsy Kay (9/16/61). Laurie Anne (2/2/63) plus seven grandchildren.
16.Suggested and/or preferred author for TAPS article: Dan Geran with Mary Blitch
17. Others who can fill in gaps about you: Al Buie, Pete Fikaris
18. Classmates with whom you served. Unfortunately none after pilot training
19. Major military assignments: Pilot training (Primary) at Moore Air Base,Texas,Aug 55-Jan 56; Pilot training (Basic) at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, Feb56-Sep56; 305th Bomb Wing, Strategic Air Command, MacDill AFB, Florida,Dec 56-Aug 6°; Foreign Technology, Air Force Systems Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio Aug 61- July 65
20. Second career info: NASA Hdqtrs, Office of Manned Space Flight, Gemini and Apollo Programs, Aug 65-Aug 67; The University of Texas at Austin. Sep 67- Aug 75; Joined Mary in the Scandinavian Furniture business which we ran for 34 years.
21. Additional Comments: None necessary
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George Robert Blitch
Play ball! Bob joined the team line-up in Austin, Texas, at St. David's Hospital on Halloween 1931, as the son of Estelle and George Blitch.
First inning took him from Austin to Baytown to Arlington to Tyler schools.
Second inning included Tyler High School, the University of Texas, and the United States Military Academy at West Point. Following graduation in 1955, he married his team manager for the next 56 plus years, Mary Boles.
Third inning: As a member of the United States Air Force, he traveled the world with SAC flying KC-97's, including North Africa and US stations, stopping at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio, at AFIT for his Master's in Aeronautical Engineering. He then worked in Foreign Technology. Three rookies joined the team - his daughters Mindy, Betsy, and Laurie.
Fourth inning: Bob worked for NASA in Washington, D.C. as Systems Analyst in the Gemini and Apollo missions.
Fifth inning: Bob returned to Austin, Texas to work for UT. He fielded the 107' reflector telescope at the McDonald Observatory and hit a homer by helping create the Ozark Regional Development Program. He served as V.P. for Academic Research.
Sixth inning: In 1975, Mary traded Bob's contract with UT so he was in the line-up for Skandinavia Contemporary Interiors, the business Mary opened in 1971 as Shop in Denmark. Bob worked with Jake Pickle during this time to achieve Port of Entry status for Austin. They retired in 2006.
Seventh inning: Mary and Bob continued their world travels and built a new house during the seventh inning stretch.
Eighth inning: Bob enjoyed everything that he loved - crossword puzzles, brainteasers, bowling, fishing, good coffee, Jeopardy!, family, theatre, more travel with Mary, and BASEBALL.
Ninth inning: Opened with three curve balls for strikes - emphysema, cancer, and pneumonia. But the game ended with Bob hitting one out of the park, into the wild blue yonder, to join the Long Gray Line. Players remaining on the roster include his wife Mary, daughters and sons-in-law Mindy and Philip Vescovo, Betsy and Chris Kirksey, Laurie and Mark Maccini. Triple A team roster: Emma and Olivia Vescovo; Kelsey, Haley, and Matthew Kirksey; Ben and Gabriel Maccini. Also, a brother, Bill, wife Suz, and nieces Kim and Robin.
Game highlights at First Presbyterian Church, 8001 Mesa Dr. on Saturday, January 28, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Cancer Society , your favorite National Park, your church, or a charity of your choice .
And remember - turn out the lights!
Published in Austin American-Statesman on January 22, 2012
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