- Date Of Birth: August 12, 1921
- Date Of Death: April 23, 2017
- State: Colorado
Surrounded by his family, Capt. Robert (“Bob”) Louis Feiten, USN, Ret., passed away on April 23, 2017 at Porter Adventist Hospital, Denver. He was almost 96 years old, loved his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren; and they loved him. Bob was born on August 12, 1921 in Winona Minnesota. He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Robin Feiten, his younger brother Msgr. John R. Feiten and by Bob’s grandson Jason DiTirro-Feiten who died at age 31. Bob is survived by his brother Philip Feiten and by Bob’s two sisters Mary Arnoldy and Patricia McHugh. Bob was a licensed pilot at age 19 who joined the Navy in August 1941. In WWII he briefly served as an instructor of bomber pilots before serving as a lead bomber pilot on numerous missions for the remainder of WWII. He flew PB-Y bombers and PV-1 fighter-bombers against German and Japanese forces. After WWII, he was stationed at the Pentagon and air bases in Japan and the U.S. For a 2001 interview of his military experiences, google Robert Louis Feiten Veterans History Project. Bob retired as a Navy Captain in 1966 to accept an invitation to be a pilot instructor for United Airlines in Denver. At United, Bob trained pilots for flying Boeing 737s and the DC-10 jumbo jet and later was a manager for several years at United’s flight school in Denver. He retired from United at age 71. Robin and Bob met in 1947 while working that summer at Priscilla Beach Theatre in Plymouth, Mass. Robin had completed her first year at the American Academy of Fine Arts in New York. At the end of that summer, Bob gave Robin a ride back in his convertible to her home in Rochester, Minnesota, which led to their marriage in 1949. Robin and Bob are survived by their six children: Louis R. Feiten, Joseph B. Feiten, Daniel J. Feiten, David C. Feiten, Melanie Potock, and Julie Maria Feiten and by eight grandchildren and by five great-grandchildren. Daughters-in law Janine (Schiavoni), Bernadette (DiTirro), and Julie (Jaster), and son-in-law Bob Potock have been supportive and loving spouses.
