Bobby "Bob Marler" Marler

Bobby Howard Marler, 73, of Viera, Florida, and Ririe, Idaho, passed away October 16, 2015, in Viera of complications of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). He was born in Idaho Falls to Loran J. Marler and Zella Ryset Marler and spent his youth in Lima, Montana, and Idaho Falls. He attended Idaho Falls High School but left to join the U.S. Army at age 17. He liked to joke that when his class was graduating from high school, he was graduating from the 82nd Airborne Division jump school. Receiving several early promotions, Bob rose through the ranks to be selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel, which he declined in order to retire after 20 years of service. Most of his service was in the Paratroopers and Green Berets, including two combat tours in Vietnam. Among his many awards were the Master Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, the Legion of Merit and two Bronze Stars. As a young noncommissioned officer, he won the General Douglas MacArthur Award for distinguished leadership and as a major was selected to attend the Air Force Command and Staff College. Bob graduated Summa Cum Laude from Park University with undergraduate degrees in economics and sociology and went on to complete his master's degree in business administration at Idaho State University. His career after the military included managing a large program for Saudi Arabia, management positions with the Idaho National Laboratory and finally as a senior vice president of the Science Applications International Corporation from which he retired in 2002. An accomplished woodworker, Bob spent his retirement building his dream home, golfing and fishing. Upon hearing of Bob's diagnosis, a retired colonel who had been a former lieutenant in his company in the 82d Airborne Division and who had, 25 years later, worked for him as a civilian, wrote the following: "I want to express how happy and grateful I am to have crossed paths with you not once, but twice in my lifetime and have the great privilege of calling you a true friend. You have been an inspiration to me numerous times in my life. You were the personification of the perfect company commander and a civilian boss. You taught me more about what being a good leader means than any books I ever read or civilian or military courses I attended, and for that, I am eternally grateful. Thanks for being such a great leader, mentor, teacher, coach and friend to me." Bob married Bonnie Milton in 1965 but later divorced. He married Catherine Ann Tice, who passed away in 2005. He married Kathi Skaar in 2011. He was preceded in death by his parents: five brothers, and his wife, Catherine. He is survived by three sisters: his wife, Kathi Skaar Marler; his sons, Robert (Tricia) of Orlando, Fla., and Jason (Shannon) of Monroe, Ga.; his daughter, Molly (Mike) Sypek of Richboro, Penn.; three stepdaughters, Beth (Scott) Watson of Idaho Falls, ID; Tori (Sava) Knezevich of Huntington Beach, CA, Ali (Paul) Crane of Meridian, ID; and 12 grandchildren. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 4, 2015, at the LDS Church at 395 - 2nd Street in Idaho Falls. Burial will be in Ririe-Shelton Cemetery. The family suggests memorials in his name to the ALS Association of Florida, 3242 Parkside Circle, Tampa, FL 33619, or the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, P. O. Box 89637, Tampa, FL 33689.

Memorial Services will be held

11:00 a.m. ,Wednesday, November 4, 2015 Idaho Falls LDS 9th Ward 395 Second Street Idaho Falls, ID, Bonneville 83401