Robert Shangraw

Robert D. Shangraw

1931 - 2018

Recommend Robert's obituary to your friends
Share Your Memory of
Robert

Obituary of Robert D. Shangraw

Robert D. Shangraw, 87, passed peacefully on June 9, 2018 to join his beloved wife of 57 years, M. Janice Shangraw. Born in Port Chester, NY, he was the son of Frances Dixon Shangraw and Clayton Charles Shangraw. After graduation from Delbarton School (1948) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1953), Bob and Jan were married in Troy, NY on June 13, 1953 and moved to Norfolk, VA from where he served in the Korean War aboard the destroyer USS Ault (DD-698).  Upon completion of his military service, he began a lifelong career as a mechanical engineer with United Aircraft Corporation (later United Technologies), retiring in 1992. Bob and Jan raised their family in East Granby, CT with enormous energy. He very much enjoyed being in the aerospace industry, which overlapped a family tradition of flying that included both his father and brother. Projects he remembered most fondly were the F-111, the XB-70 and the NASA Apollo mission to the moon.   He concomitantly served for a long time on the town Board of Education, including a stint as chairman, in the 1960s; Boy Scout Troop 70, for which he was a Scoutmaster in the early 1970s; and the East Granby Planning Commission.  In 1999, Bob and Jan moved to Sun City Center, FL to avoid the harsh New England winters but kept close contact with their New England friends and family by summering in Otis, MA.  Jan predeceased him in January 2011.  Bob kept active in many social activities throughout his retirement. For many years he chaired the Gate Island homeowners association in Otis, and chaired his homeowners association in Sun City Center at the time of his death. He loved to sing in his church choir, do woodcarving and work with the “sawdust engineers” at Sun City Center.  His scale model of the USS Ault, according to Jan, took longer for him to build than the original warship itself.  In addition to Jan, Bob was predeceased by his brother Richard, sister Carol Jordan, and grandson Adam Cotugno.  He is survived by sons Robert (Patricia) of Tualatin, OR; Timothy (Janet) of Littleton, CO; Michael of Evergreen, CO; and daughters Vicki Kvedar (Joseph) of Lynnfield, MA; and Kathi Cotugno of Westfield, MA.  Grandchildren are David Shangraw (Britta) of Seattle, WA; Kirsten Shangraw of Portland, OR; Matthew Shangraw of Mission Viejo, CA; Emily Zerba (Garrett) of Broomfield, CO; Celanire Shangraw of Mission Viejo, CA; Sarah Shangraw of Denver, CO; Derek Kvedar of Las Vegas, NV; Joshua Cotugno of Granby CT; Julie Kvedar of Los Angeles, CA; Rachel Shangraw of Emeryville, CA; Kathleen Shangraw of Portland OR; and Megan Kvedar of Sarasota, FL.  Wake will be held at Sun City Funeral Home (Sun City Center, FL) on June 18 from 5-8pm, with funeral mass 11 am Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church Sun City Center, FL. A celebration of his life is forthcoming this summer in Connecticut. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Roberts name can be made to the following; Tampa General Hospital Foundation, Tampa, FL or Sun City Center Emergency Squad, Sun City Center Men’s Club. Sun City Center, FL.

 

 

 

 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Robert Shangraw, please visit Tribute Store
Monday
18
June

Visitation

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Monday, June 18, 2018
Sun City Center Funeral Home
1851 Rickenbacker Dr.
Sun City Center, Florida, United States
Monday
18
June

Wake

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Monday, June 18, 2018
Sun City Center Funeral Home
1851 Rickenbacker Dr.
Sun City Center, Florida, United States
Tuesday
19
June

Funeral Mass

11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Prince of Peace Catholic Church
702 Valley Forge Blvd
Sun City Center, Florida, United States