Robert H. (Bob) Hutchins of Needham, Massachusetts passed on September 3, 2008. He was a resident of Needham for over 40 years. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Phyllis.
Born in Chicago, Robert grew up in Libertyville and Waukegan, Illinois and graduated from Waukegan High School in 1944. He enlisted in the Army at age 17 and served in the Philippine Islands from 1945 to 1946. He was honorably discharged at the age of 19 with the rank of Technical Sergeant (Sergeant Major) 4th Field Artillery Battalion.
After returning to Waukegan he studied journalism at Northwestern University on the GI Bill. He later received his Bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest College. He began his journalism career writing copy for WKRS radio station in Waukegan and then working as a reporter and photographer for the local newspaper in South Haven, Michigan. In 1950 he was married to Phyllis L. Bergstrom, also of Waukegan. They built a house in Libertyville, Illinois and there they raised their family. At the time of his marriage, Robert was a reporter for the Waukegan News Sun, where he worked for many years, also serving as editor of the County Page and chief of the copy desk.
In 1966 Robert and family moved to Needham, Massachusetts when Robert began working as a copy editor for The Christian Science Monitor. There he served in various roles until his retirement from the Monitor in the early 1980’s. He then went to work in the computer field and was employed for several years by Interleaf Corporation at their headquarters in Cambridge and Waltham.
In addition to his wife, Robert is survived by his daughter Susan Detwiler of Spencer, Massachusetts, his sons Jeffrey D. Hutchins of Medfield, Massachusetts, Paul D. Hutchins of Brockton, Massachusetts and Charles D. Hutchins of Fall River, Massachusetts. He is also survived by five granddaughters, two grandsons, four great grandchildren, his brother Edwin Burnell Hutchins of Stone Mountain, Georgia, his sisters Marilyn Glea Gasper of Buckhannon, West Virginia and Nancy A. Dekle of Phoenix, Arizona, his brother-in-law Charles E. Bergstrom of Seattle, Washington, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Service was held on Saturday September 6th at the Eaton Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to your favorite charity.