Robert Joel Jasken, 86

Robert Joel Jasken “joined his Lord and Savior” on June 21, 2018. He rejoins Norma Jean Johnson Jasken, his beloved wife of 56 years who passed away in 2011.

Bob was born in Asheville, North Carolina, on Nov. 8, 1931. His parents’ divorce caused Bob to be sent to live with his maternal grandparents, Kate and Jeff Phillips, on their farm. They had raised nine children with one left at the farm. Bob had many, many fond memories of the life lessons his grandparents taught him.

When Bob was 6 years old, his mother and her new husband came to collect him to join their family, which included a baby sister, Kathy. The new family moved to Florida, where Bob first enrolled in school. The family later moved to California, and after several years on the West Coast returned to North Carolina. Bob spent his first two years of high school in the Tar Heel State before the Jasken family moved to Kalispell, where he graduated from high school. Bob had the lead in the senior play and was also the editor of the school annual. Additionally, Bob served in the Montana National Guard from 1948 to 1950.

In all, Bob attended eight different schools in six states. He liked to say that gave him a well-rounded education!

Bob entered college at the University of Montana and graduated in 1954 with a business degree and a commission from the U.S. Air Force. To get through college, he worked on a nearby dam for three summers. It was a great job; he worked seven days a week from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. After college, he checked in at San Antonio, Texas, for testing and pilot training. He passed and was sent to Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi.

Columbus happened to be home to an all-woman’s college with 900 Southern beauties. One lady in particular caught Bob’s eye, and he told a friend that he would marry her (the friend laughed at that idea). Yet Norma Jean Johnson did become his wife. Their first date was to a movie, and eventually Bob met her parents and pinned her. After finishing his primary training, Bob was sent to McAllen, Texas, for T-6 training, but he couldn’t leave Norma Jean behind. He mailed her an engagement ring!

His next assignment was in Enid, Oklahoma, for B-25 training. Bob and Norma Jean, who was from Yazoo City, Mississippi, planned a wedding to take place there once he graduated from flight training. On the weekend of the big wedding, Bob Phillips, his best man, flew into the tiny airfield at Yazoo City in an Air Force B-25; people who were around still talk about that day.

After honeymooning in Florida, Bob and Norma Jean were sent to Oklahoma City for three months, then to Florida. It was there that their first children were born, twins Karen Lynn and Victoria Lee. Bob reached the rank of captain early in his Air Force career but retired in 1960. The new family settled in Mississippi, and Robert Alan was born. After several years, the family moved to Houston and David Johnson was born in 1970.

For more than 20 years, Bob worked for Spring Engineering, ultimately becoming president. Norma Jean began a small business out of her home, which became the well-known boutique Ms Tex. When he could take her on international business trips, Bob and Norma Jean traveled to France, Germany, England, Ireland and Scotland. After Bob retired, the couple traveled to Provence, France, on three separate occasions, staying for a month at a time. They also enjoyed many years at their family beach house in Bolivar, Texas. The couple spent more than 25 years as committeemen at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

God was very good to the family. The Jaskens attended First Baptist Church in Houston for many years. Bob was vice chairman of the deacons and a Bible study leader while Norma Jean was active in choir and taught Sunday school. They also attended Tallowood Baptist Church where they were active in the Joshua Class for several years.