Robert V. Newkirk

Bob Newkirk 89, formerly of Hawthorne CA, passed away peacefully in the presence of family and friends on June 25, 2010 at Taylor House in Des Moines, due to complications of pneumonia.

Bob was born on July 30, 1920 to Wayne and Faye Newkirk in Independence, MO. He was a WWII veteran, serving in the army in Japan, as a machinist. Later determined to build his own company, he established Newkirk Specialties, a machine shop in southern CA. that specialized in high precision machine work. In his lifetime, he solely produced a wide variety of parts and gadgets, (the smaller the better), the majority of which, were parts made for the huge aircraft companies located in CA. He also made some of the parts that went into the Surveyor Spacecraft that landed softly on the moon in 1966.

Honoree Veteran graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 30, at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Des Moines.

Mr. Newkirk was preceded in death by his parents, wife Eva (Tiny), daughter Jeannie Jones, son Robert Jr. Survivors include, son Jim Newkirk, daughter Karen Hernandez of Des Moines, daughter Nancy Horton of GA, stepdaughter Genie Thompson of OH. stepson Larry Elshire of OR., seventeen grandchildren, twenty great- grandchildren, two great-great granddaughters. We love you Dad

www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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