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Submitted: 3/2/11 • Approved: 6/11/11 • Last Updated: 8/9/21 • R476976-G0-S3
US Army Air Corps
World War II
April 20, 1921 - January 22, 2011
Royal Air Force Pilot Instructor
*Obituary
Hot Springs Funeral Home online obituary
Robert Dexter Greenley, 89, of Hot Springs died January 22, 2011. Born in Elgin, Iowa to Charles Walter and Florence Phifer Greenley, he attended Luther College at Decorah, Iowa, as an engineering student. After moving to Hot Springs, he married and began flight training. He took secondary and advanced training in Ardmore, Oklahoma, Houston and Fort Worth, Texas, and received his instructor’s rating in 1942. Based at the No. 1 British Flight Training School in Terrell, Texas, he was the youngest flight instructor for fighter pilots for both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Corps.
Following the war, he developed Greenley Food Products, a food distributorship, which he operated for 30 years. He retired at 57 to enjoy his family, friends, world travel and especially, time spent boating and water skiing on Lake Hamilton. He instilled a love of the water in his daughter and grandsons.
Throughout his life, he was adventurous, particularly in athletics, flying airplanes for sport and motorcycle racing. He welcomed new challenges and persevered to emerge victorious. This dedication to excellence was an underlying theme in all aspects of his life.
The family will remember him as a gentleman, a master of self-discipline and a model for success in life. His soft-spoken manner carried a message of strong values and an intuitive sense of humor. He exuded class.
He was predeceased by his parents and his wife of 59 years, Velma Hurst Greenley. His survivors include a daughter Karen Greenley Lauck and son-in law Chester Harris Lauck, Jr. of Hot Springs; grandsons Scott Greenley Lauck and Chester Harris Lauck III and wife Kerrie Liles Lauck, of Little Rock; granddaughters Nancy Lauck and Amanda Lauck Glickman and husband Jeff Glickman of Pensacola, Florida; great grandson Chester Harris Lauck IV of Little Rock; cousin Linda Greenley Hancock and husband Dr. E. J. Hancock of Salinas, California, sisters-in- law Norma Jean Austin of San Antonio, Texas and Mary Jean Hurst and several nieces and nephews.
His religious affiliation was with the Church of God.
A service in celebration of his life will be held at Hot Springs Funeral Home, Wednesday, at 1 P.M., with Reverend Charles Ridgeway officiating. Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday evening from 5 until 7 P.M. at the funeral home.
Pallbearers will be: Stan Cothren, Courtney Crouch, Rodney Hurst, Q. Byrum Hurst, Jr., Carl Ward and Chris Dunkel.
Honorary pallbearers are Dr. John Bond and Gen. Ray Robinson of Little Rock
The family expresses their sincere appreciation to the “angels” at Garrett Manor, Quapaw Care and Arkansas Hospice.
Memorials may be made to: Arkansas Parkinson’s Disease Association, Arkansas Chapter APDA, P.O Box 22445, Hot Springs AR 71903 or the charity of your choice.
Contributed on 3/2/11 by pvhwdh
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Record #: 476976