Robert Duane Dighton

Robert (Bob) Duane Dighton was born on May 23, 1934, at the family farm near Coggon, Iowa, to Duane and Irene (Kirkpatrick) Dighton. He was the firstborn of three other sons and one daughter. Bob met his wife, Mabel Ann Hamblin, in high school and they were married in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on June 12, 1955.

Bob is survived by his son, Mark Dighton (Sergey) of Brooklyn, NY; his daughter, Denise Saunders, of Ballwin, MO; granddaughter Shanna (Jared) Fischer, of Geneva, IL; grandson, Curtis (Brianna) Saunders, of Maplewood, MN; and great-granddaughter, Scottie Nell Saunders, of Maplewood, MN. Also, brother Kevin (Donna) of Davenport, IA, and sister Arlene (Gary) Williams of Salem, OR.

He was predeceased by his parents, his wife, Mabel Ann (Hamblin) Dighton, on June 17, 2021, and his son, Alan Bob Dighton, who died at the age of four. Also, his brothers David (Marilyn) of Coggon, IA, and Lyndon (Sherry) of Boone, IA.

Bob graduated from Iowa State University in 1956 with a B.S. degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He later received a M.S. degree in Engineering from St. Louis University. He served three years in the U.S. Air Force as a Navigator and Electronic Warfare Officer. He worked for McDonnell Douglas Corporation (MDC) for most of his career, starting as a flight test engineer briefly on the F-4 Phantom Il program and then becoming an Operations Analyst. He worked on most of the company's programs and many advanced design proposals. His longest tenure was ten years on the F/A-18 Hornet program before becoming manager of the Operational Analysis Department for almost five years. He then transferred to the MDC corporate office for a short tour in the Washington, D.C. office. He retired early from MDC in 1990 and joined the Institute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria, VA. In this capacity he was the Lead Oversight Analyst for the development program of the F-22 Raptor.

Bob was awarded a Professional Achievement Citation in Engineering from Iowa State University in 1991. He is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics. He also was a life member and former director of the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum.

Bob and Mabel took many trips with family and friends, domestically and internationally during their lifetime, that they loved to recount to their grandchildren. Both took meticulous care of their gardens and were highly involved in their church.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association in Bob and Mabel Dighton’s name.