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March 18, 1937 - February 6, 2025

Robert Duane French, age 87 of Blair, NE passed on Thursday, February 6th, 2025 at Nye Legacy in Fremont, Nebraska.

The Celebration of Life will be held on February 12th at 10:30 at Moser Funeral Home in Arlington, NE.

Bob was born in Arlington, NE to Clarence and Maurine (Black) French on March 18, 1937. He graduated from Arlington High School in 1954. He continued on to work with his father at French's Service Station making rural deliveries with the fuel truck.

He met and married his first wife Yvonne Carmichael French in 1957. They had two sons, Michael and Steven. In 1987 he met and married his second wife, Dottie French gaining two stepdaughters, Jacqueline and Constance along with another four grandchildren.

In 1965 he purchased and operated French Oil Company for 33 years with the help of his sons. He was a member of the Arlington Fire Department and instrumental in the development of the Arlington Rescue Squad. He served two terms in the Arlington City Council and was an Arlington Cub Scout Leader. He was the President of the Arlington Community Club and a member of the Nebraska Petroleum Marketers. He also served as President of Cottonwood Inc. and Roadster II Shrine Club and was a past member of the Mo Ri Shrine Club and Shriner-Jester York Rite Scottish Rite

Bob was a proud member of the Hiram Lodge #52 and later #21, where he was presented with his 50-year pin

One of Bob's greatest fascinations was stock car driving. He began his driving career in a 1954 in a 1937 Ford coupe on the Arlington Fairgrounds track. Bob raced only coupes for 10 years before ending his racing when he suffered 40% burns on his body in a track accident, flipping his car as it caught fire after taking the lead at Sunset Speedway on June 4, 1964. In 1996, he became a charter member of the Good Ol' Time Racing Association and began to prepare to once again enjoy the excitement of the racetrack. He loved telling racing stories and recalling friends he had made over the years on the track. One of his favorites was telling that he had won the first race at Sunset Speedway in 1957 and the track's last race at Sunset in 2000.

Bob never lost his love for the Missouri River from the time he started boating in the '70's until watching it flow by from his screened porch.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Yvonne, his parents, Clarence and Maurine, two brothers, Richard and Jaryl and one sister Anita.

He will be remembered affectionately by his wife Dottie, of 37 years, his sons, Michael (Julie), Steven (Tammie), stepdaughters, Jacque' and Connie, his ten wonderful grandchildren, eleven fabulous great grandchildren along with several nieces and nephews. The greats will increase to twelve with the arrival of "Tobias" coming to join us in March.

Reckmeyer-Moser Funeral Home, 232 West Eagle, Arlington, NE 68002 402-478-4151

~~~obituary courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska ~~~

FindaGrave # 279515438