Robert Oram

Robert Stanley Oram, 87, passed away on April 10, 2013 after a blessedly short battle with cancer. Robert, a.k.a. Bob Orama�"alias "The Keota Kid"a�"was delivered into this life by Dr. D.G. Olson on January 29, 1926, in Keota, Colorado, and departed it on April 10, 2013, in Boulder City, Nevada. He was preceded from this life by Marion Ruth Dale, his wife of 34 years, in 1983, and his siblings Mary Naeda Oram in 1926, Charles Ford Oram Jr. in 1933, and Auriel Josephine Oram Sandstead in 2007. His parents were E. Fae Stanley (1890-1980) and Charles Ford Oram (1887-1956). He was married to Malu Tshitenga in 1985 until her return to Zaire in 1986. In 1991, he married soul mate E. Audrey Reynolds Oram. He is survived by Audrey, and his step-daughters Helena Le Roy, Nancy (Steve) Cottrell, Jana Allman, step-grandchildren Michelle, Brandi, Heather, Philip, Jennifer, Brett, Amy, step-great grandchildren Scotty, Blake, Hailey, Abby, step-great-great grandchild Joseph, and his sister Laura Pilkington. At the age of 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, and after basic training on the west coasta�"and an expert rifle weapons qualificationa�"was shipped to Iwo Jima where during deployment, "both his best buddies fell on either side of him". After WWII, he was stationed in China until he was relieved from active duty in 1946. Upon his honorable discharge, he held the rank of Corporal. Since 5th grade, he knew he wanted to be a pilot, and thanks to the "G.I. Bill", received his pilot's licensea�"and took his first aerial photograph of Keotaa�"in 1947. During his flying years, he worked as a Ground Instructor rated in Aircraft, Engines, Meteorology, and Civil Air Regulations, as a commercial pilot for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and as a private pilota�"eventually logging over 4,000 hours. He received his Civil Engineering degree from the University of Wyoming in 1963, and subsequently worked for the Bureau of Reclamation as a structural engineer. He had experience as a surveyor, transmission line inspector, substation construction advisor, and engineering division administrator for multiple projects that included the San Juan Chama Project and Nambe Falls Dam in New Mexico, the Inga Dam Inga-Shaba 500 kilovolt transmission line in Zaire, Africa, the Nueces River project and Choke Canyon Dam in Texas, and the Hoover Dam near Boulder City, Nevada before his retirement in 1985. His life hobbies were water skiing, flying his Cub, and photography. He and Audrey loved sightseeing from the aira�"Bob taught Audrey all the basics of flying, "however, she never flew solo". They enjoyed traveling and camping in their "Gypsy Wagon" and participating in the restoration of "Sunshine Corner" in Keota where they liked to vacation. During his lifetime, he documented numerous volumes of pictures he took of his family, friends, and travels; he also archived his mother's photographsa�"recently bequeathing his entire collection to his second cousin Gwen Stanley, appointing her the "new custodian". He was an experienced writer and good storyteller, and contributed to the Colorado newspaper The Fence Post. In 1987, he published Zaire, Yesterday and Today and dedicated it "to those who learn the customs of their neighbors wherever they may be and those who would promote peaceful communications worldwide". Service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Long Term Care Unit at the Boulder City Hospital, Boulder City, NV. 89005 Friends and family can sign an online memorial guestbook at www.bouldercityfamilymortuary.com