Obituary: Ogden, C. Robert “Bob”
Age 92
(August 11, 1923 - March 31, 2016)
America has lost another of “the greatest generation,” Bob Ogden, a B-24 pilot in World War II, First Lieutenant with the 744th Squadron, 456th Bomb Group, 304th Wing, 15th Air Force.
Bob passed away peacefully at his home March 31, 2016, age 92.
Bob was born August 11, 1923 in Clarksburg, West Virginia, the second son of Daniel Miller Ogden and Mary Elizabeth Maphis Ogden.
The family moved from Clarksburg to Spokane when Bob was age five.
He attended Roosevelt Grade School and Lewis and Clark High School, graduating as student body president and valedictorian in 1941.
Bob earned a scholarship to Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude in 1945 with a B.A.
in economics and a minor in English.
During his freshman year, World War II broke out; Bob enlisted with the Army Air Corps, rising to the rank of First Lieutenant and piloting 32 combat missions in Italy and Germany (November 1944-June 1945).
In 2016, he published a book describing his wartime experiences, titled “Mission to Regensburg: A Young Pilot’s Experiences in World War II”.
Among many, the book chronicles a harrowing mission in early 1945 when German flak destroyed two of four of his B-24’s engines; losing altitude and falling behind his squadron, Bob issued a mayday radio signal.
Miraculously, red-tailed P-51 fighters of the Tuskegee Airmen swooped in and escorted Bob and his crew safely to a British airbase-a mission for which he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Throughout the war, Bob never lost a crew member.
Returning to Harvard and completing his undergraduate studies, Bob continued on the GI Bill to earn a certificate in business from Harvard Business School (1947), and a juris doctorate from Yale Law School (1950).
He practiced law in New York City at Chadbourne & Park (1950-53), and Hawkins, Delafield & Wood (1953-57).
In 1954, Bob met the love of his life, Margot Martin Ogden (1925-2015), also of Spokane, a theater major from Smith College who was in New York working in radio and auditioning for Broadway productions.
Their first son, David Martin, was born on their first wedding anniversary in 1955.
The young family moved to Seattle in 1957, where Bob practiced law with Preston, Thorgrimson & Horowitz.
Their second son, Robert James, came along in 1957.
In 1958, Bob and Margot moved home to Spokane where Bob went into business with his father-in-law, Rorer James (“Maj”) Martin, as vice president and director of R. J. Martin & Co. and R. J. Martin Mortgage Co. Their third son, Douglas Hunter, was born late that year.
Among Bob’s many passions was politics.
He was chairman of the New York State Youth for Eisenhower-Nixon in 1956, and in 1960, headed the Nixon for President committee in Washington’s 5th Congressional District.
He was one of 18 handpicked advance men for the Nixon-Lodge campaign, and served on the personal staff of Henry Cabot Lodge.
He ran unsuccessfully for the Washington State Senate in 1962.
He chaired the Washington State Nixon for President campaign in 1968, and served as secretary of the Washington State Republican Central Committee (1961-63, 1973-75).
Throughout his career, Bob was a champion of small business.
In 1963, he became president of Great Northwest Life Insurance Co. of Spokane.
When that company was merged into Sunset Life Insurance Co. (Olympia, WA), Bob borrowed $1 million and launched North Coast Life Insurance Company in 1965.
He served as the company’s president until his son Rob took over that position in 2006, and served as chairman until 2012.
He served as president of R.J. Martin Mortgage Company (1965-2016), and revitalized two historic landmark buildings at West 1116 and West 1124 Riverside Avenue, Spokane.
His community service efforts included a presidential appointment as chair of the Washington-Alaska Regional Medical Program (US Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 1966-74), trustee of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce (1962-64), member of the Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission (1988-96, chairman 1991-96) and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation (1989-95), president of the Spokane Community Foundation (1981-83), president of Spokane Rotary (1977), president of the board of St. George’s School (1972-76), and board member of St. Luke’s Hospital.
Bob and Margot were avid supporters of the Spokane Symphony (board member 1978-85, board president 1983-85) and Spokane Civic Theatre.
They were joint recipients of the 2002 Spokane Arts Commission Award.
Bob lived a life of purpose, with a strong will and exceptional intellect.
He was mentally sharp to the end.
He is survived by his brother Daniel of Vancouver, WA, his three sons and their spouses Brenda, Olga and Emilie, and by seven grandchildren, Tammany, Thomas, Alec, Nicholas, Peter, William and Natalie.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. John’s Cathedral, the Spokane Symphony, and the Spokane Civic Theatre.
A celebration of Bob Ogden’s life will be held at St. John’s Cathedral, Sunday, April 24, 2016, at 4:00pm.