On March 8, 2014, at 2 am, Robert H. Hensley passed away at the age of 72, at home in Colfax, Washington, with his loving and dedicated wife Karen by his side. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 6, 1942 to Otto M. and Mary (Szilagyi) Hensley and moved to Colfax when he was 5 years old, living with his grandmother Mary (Veres) Szilagyi. He had six brothers and one sister: Ronald (Louise) Bartlett, Stephen (Nancy) Hensley, Marguerite Farrow, Otto Hensley, David (Sandy) Hill, and Jon (Gwen) Hill.

He had a rambunctious childhood in Colfax and at the age of 17 joined the US Army. He served 11 years in European Countries to include Germany and France, served 2 tours (1968 to 1969) in Vietnam, several stateside tours ending with Ft. Greely, Alaska.
He fell madly in love with Karen Stewart while stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri and they married in a small ceremony in Anchorage, Alaska on April 28, 1978. They enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, and traveling together. When Robert retired from the Army in 1981 after 22 years, 1 month, and 17 days, he returned with his family to Colfax.

Robert then spent 17 years working for the Washington State Department of Transportation until medically disabled in 1999. He and Karen enjoyed many hobbies, to include life memberships with, the VFW, the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) and the NRA, making many life-long friends. Robert was an intelligent, loving, thoughtful, and playful family man who will be missed by many.

Robert was an absolutely wonderful and dedicated husband and father. His surviving family consists of his cherished wife Karen, daughter Manuela (Louis) Gervasio with grandsons Sal and Lenny and great-grandchildren Gianna and Louis, daughter Andrea (Lelan) Hall, daughter Alisha (Kenny) Matelski with granddaughter Sophia, and daughter Serena Bruns with grandson Michael.

There will be a memorial service for Robert at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery, 21702 W Espanola Rd, Medical Lake (www.dva.wa.gov/eastern_wa_vet_cemetery.html) at 2:15 pm on Friday, March 14, 2014 with full military honors and Robert will be laid to rest in a columbarium niche.

There will also be a memorial luncheon at Eddy's Chinese Restaurant in Colfax from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm on Saturday, March 15, 2014, with a free buffet lunch for everyone who wants to stop by and share stories of him.