Robert Chester Easley

b. 28 March 1915, d. 24 May 2003

Robert Chester "Bubba" Easley, 1915-2003
  • Robert Chester Easley was born on 28 March 1915 in Richards, Grimes County, Texas.
  • He was known as Bubba.
  • Charles Brigance Easley and Mary Jane Wood appeared in the US federal census of 1 January 1920 in Richards, Grimes County, Texas. Other members of the household included Robert Chester Easley, Charles Edward Easley, James Easley, Anne Margradel Easley and Mary Louise Easley.
  • Young "Bubba" Easley was photographed with puppies Pete and Repeat.
    Robert Chester "Bubba" Easley with Pete and Repeat
  • Charles Brigance Easley and Mary Jane Wood appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1930 in Richards, Grimes County, Texas. Other members of the household included Robert Chester Easley, Mary Louise Easley.
  • He married Audrey Lois Ward, daughter of Blake Zenella Ward and Agnes Teague, on 19 November 1935 in Navasota, Grimes County, Texas, at First Methodist Church, with Pastor W. G. Fletcher officiating.. The marriage apparently was of short duration..
  • Robert Chester Easley enlisted in the US Navy on 16 Nov 1939, and was received 12 January 1940 on board the USS Louisville. He was captured by the Japanese after the fall of Corregidor, Philippine Islands, on 6 May 1942, and was held as a Prisoner of War at Hoten Pow Camp Mukden Manchuria until returned to US Military control during operations to liberate the Philippines in 1945. Seaman First Class Robert Chester Easley (NSN: 360-08-88) received the Army Unit Citation, Presidential Unit Citation, Philippine Defense w/gold star, and APTO Ribbon.
  • The following appeared on 14 September 1945 in The Alpine Avalanche: Mrs. Jack Stovell has received word that her brother, Robert Easley, S2C, of Richards, who has been a prisoner of the Japanese since 1942, has been released.
  • He married Mildred Essen Goodman, daughter of Charles Alexander Goodman and Wyatt Brown, circa 1946.
  • On 7 January 1948, Robert Chester Easley returned to duty aboard the USS Springfield after having been on leave since 8 December 1947. He left the Navy on 19 September 1949.
  • Robert Chester Easley became a widower at the 5 June 2002 death of his wife Mildred Essen Goodman.
  • The following appeared in a local newspaper: Mildred E. Easley, 78, of West Orange, died Wednesday, June 5, 2002, at Memorial Hermann Baptist Orange Hospital.
         Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, June 7, from Claybar Funeral Home Chapel in Orange. R.C. Hammock, Chaplain of Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital in Orange will officiate. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange.
         Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. today in the funeral home, to last until service time.
         Born in Navasota, Texas, on July 15, 1923, to Charles and Wyatt Goodman, Mrs. Easley had lived in West Orange for the past 15 years where she was a homemaker.
         She is survived by her husband, Robert C. Easley, and one daughter, Jo Fite and husband, Bill, all of Orange; three brothers, Charles Goodman of Jasper, Robert Goodman of Taylor, Ark., and Phillip Goodman of Navasota; granddaughter, Sheila Stelly and husband, Mike; and grandson, Kyle Fite, and three great-grandchildren, Brooke Stelly, Kelsey Stelly and Conner Stelly.
  • Robert Chester Easley died on 24 May 2003 at age 88 in Pinehurst, Orange County, Texas.
  • He was interred at Claybar Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Orange, Orange County, Texas, near Bridge City.
  • The following appeared on 25 May 2003 in the Orange Leader: Robert C. Easley, 88, of West Orange, Texas, died Saturday, May 24, 2003, at Sunbridge Health Center in Pinehurst. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 25, 2003, at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens near Bridge City. Born on March 28, 1915, in Richards, Texas, to Charles and Mary (Wood) Easley, Mr. Easley had lived in West Orange for the past 19 years. He was a retired diesel mechanic from Power Rig in Lafayette, Louisiana. He had served in the U.S. Navy for eleven years, four of which were as a prisoner of war in Japan. Preceded in death by his wife, Mildred Easley, and his son-in-law, Bill Fite, Mr. Easley is survived by his daughter, Jo Fite; granddaughter Sheila Stelly and her husband Mike; grandson Kyle Fite; great-grandchildren Brooke, Kelsey and Conner Stelly, all of Orange; and his sister Mary Stovell of Alpine.
  • Last Edited: 24 May 2015

Family 1: Audrey Lois Ward b. 19 October 1916, d. 9 June 2003

Family 2: Mildred Essen Goodman b. 15 July 1923, d. 5 June 2002