Robert Henry Menken

U.S Navy veteran Robert Henry Menken, 85, of Maryville, died on Monday, June 12 at Blount Memorial Hospital. The son of the late Clarence Menken and Dorothy Kinsman, he was born on May 25, 1938 in Lynn, Massachusetts and then moved to Las Vegas. He joined the Navy at 17.

He served his country from 1955 to 1959, stationed in Beeville, Texas. After leaving the Navy, Bob met and married his wife, Doris C. Udey in Arkansas. They were married on Oct. 9, 1960. The Navy trained Bob as a meteorologist and he went on to work for the National Weather Service for 37 years. He started out in Little Rock, Arkansas, then Memphis and finally to Maryville in 1979. He worked at McGhee Tyson Airport for NWS until retiring in 1994.

Bob didn’t stay retired long. He then worked another 21 years as an usher at Dollywood.

He graduated with a degree in business administration from Memphis State University, taking classes for 14 years while working full time. He loved sports, especially the New York Yankees and the Arkansas Razorbacks. He was a member of Madison Avenue Baptist Church for more than 40 years.

Bob is survived by his wife Doris and three children — Phil (Stacey) Menken, Melanie (Joe) Tucker and Shawnda (David) Goodwin; six grandchildren — Amanda Tucker, Joe Menken, Britany Menken, Nathan Goodwin, Bayleigh Goodwin, and Alex Goodwin; and two great-grandchildren, Makayla Menken and Evie Menken. He also is survived by a sister, Pat Russell of Connecticut.

The family will receive friends from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21 at Smith Funeral and

Cremation Services in Maryville. Funeral service will be at 1 p.m., followed by interment in East

Tennessee State Veteran Cemetery in Knoxville.