Robert “Bob” Marvel, a resident who has a life-long passion for flying, took to the sky one more time on Friday, Dec. 11.
Bob, who is facing a life-limiting illness, enjoyed a 40-minute airplane ride that departed from Donegal Springs Airpark and flew along the Susquehanna River. During a detour to Lancaster Airport, he was able to recall his youth.
A native of Lancaster County, Bob rode his bike to the Lancaster Airport almost daily as a young boy, observing the taking off and landing of planes. Until he was old enough to accomplish his dream of becoming a licensed pilot, Bob took time heating up the planes, changing bulbs and doing other small favors for the pilots, whom he looked up to.
Once he earned his pilot’s license, though it wasn’t his full-time career, Bob did some business flying and took plenty of flights for pleasure. At one point, he even owned his own plane.
Now, Bob enjoys reflecting on the past by looking at his old flying logs, reading books on the history of flying, attending Pilot’s Club meetings on campus and hearing his wife recall stories from their dating days.
“He would take me up all the time since he needed to have so many take-offs and landings to keep his license current,” Fay, Bob’s wife, said. “We would call those ‘dates.’”
The flight was organized by Masonic Village Hospice staff in coordination with volunteer Masons.
“Anytime he gave directions, he would somehow relate the destination’s location in relevance to an airport,” Fay said. “He wouldn’t have cared where we took him on this flight, he just enjoys being up in a plane.”
