Robert H. Waddle, 82, of Huntsville passed away Thursday. He grew up in West Point, GA and graduated from Auburn University with a degree in business. Robert served his country for six years as a navigator in the US Air Force in Vietnam. Following his military service, he became the Assistant Director at the airports in Raleigh-Durham, NC and Fresno, CA before being hired as the Director of the Charleston International Airport. He retired as the Director of the Columbia (SC) Metropolitan Airport after a 30-year career where he oversaw the building of the new airport and was instrumental in getting a UPS hub there.
While living in Columbia, Robert married Susan Crawford. They grew up across the street from each other in West Point, GA, but it wasn’t until years later that they reconnected. They were married for 32 years. After retirement, they moved to Cedar Key, FL and Bozeman, MT before settling in Huntsville to be close to family. In Bozeman, Robert volunteered with the newspaper to brainstorm ideas for developing the city and was involved with an organization called Love Inc (In the name of Christ) who helped move over 360 families with single mothers to new homes. In Huntsville, he was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church and volunteered with Meals on Wheels and the BackPack Lunches program. He also played the guitar and sang for the residents at a local memory care unit.
Robert taught himself to play the guitar while in the Air Force. He loved woodworking and made hundreds of small crosses to share with others.
Robert is survived by his wife, Susan; children, Wendy Waddle (Roger), Christy Pernat (Mark), Bently Hess (Greg) and Bo Butler; grandchildren, Tyler Waddle (Briana), Riley Pernat, Elodie Pernat, Hunter Hess and Hatten Hess; sister, Ellen Lee; and great-grandchildren, Jayce Waddle and Bennett Waddle.
Visitation will be Tuesday, December 27, 2022, at 1:00 pm at St. Thomas Episcopal Church followed by a Celebration of Life at 2:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cursillo, 521 North 20th Street, Birmingham, AL, 35203 (https://alabamacursillo.org) or St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 12200 Bailey Cove Road, Huntsville 35803 (https://stthomashuntsville.org).
