Robert Clyde Gnegy

Robert Clyde Gnegy was born in Mountain Lake Park, MD Sept. 7th, 1926 to Clyde and Zelda Gnegy, second of four children. He died at home May 23rd, 2021. He is survived by wife Lois, daughter Diana Gnegy, son Charles Gnegy. His sister Marianne Ricketts also survives, as well as four grandchildren and five great grandchildren, three stepsons, and six step grandsons. Bob served as a stenographer for General MacArthur in Manilla and Yokohama at the age of 18 and in the General’s office in the Pentagon. He attended Benjamin Franklin College, American University, Howard University and Boston University School of Theology. In preparation for the mission field Bob studied agriculture at Berea College and Spanish in Costa Rica. He went on to become a missionary in Bolivia where he traveled by cargo ship from Texas to Chile where they eventually landed on the top of the Andes and into Bolivia. Bob established an Agricultural College and Seminary, 8 churches, dug water wells, and brought in farm animals. Upon moving to Washington State, he worked as an agriculture advisor in Grays Harbor County, then Haven of Rest Funeral Home in Gig Harbor, WA. Pura Gnegy, Diana Gnegy, Charles Gnegy, and Kathy May still reside in Gig Harbor. Bob married Lois Cheney in 1991 and began a new journey once again. Throughout Bob’s life he enjoyed gardening, singing in the church choir, and writing poetry. His poem, MY SYMPHONY encapsulates his simple but powerful character.

My Symphony

To live with small means,

To seek elegance rather that luxury,

And refinement rather than fashion;

To be worthy, not respectable,

And wealthy, not rich;

To study hard, think quietly,

Talk gently, act frankly;

To listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages with an open heart.

To bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.

To let the spirit of love, in it’s deepest unbidden way,

Grow naturally through all in all,

Harmonizing the dissident.

This is my symphony of life.

~Bob Gnegy

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