Robert Bardwell Wickes, Bremerton, died April 13 at Harrison Memorial Hospital in Bremerton. He was 79 years old.

He was born Dec. 13, 1922 in Ontario, N.Y. to Maria (Libbert) and Phillip Wickes.

He graduated from Rochester High School in Rochester, NY in 1940. Following military service, he graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1949 with a degree in aeronautical engineering.

On Dec. 18, 1948, he married Virgie Olmstead in Cincinnati, Ohio.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942. He was a pilot and retired as a commander in the Naval Reserves in 1983.

For 40 years, he was a design engineer with Vought Aircraft of Dallas, Texas until his retirement.

His interests included flying and mountain climbing. He was a member of the Episcopal church.

He is survived by his wife Virgie Wickes, Port Ludlow; sons Phillip and Henry Wickes, both of Austin, Tex; daughters Beatrice Ellison, Austin, Alison Groves, Carlsbad, Calif., Meredith Shepardson, Austin and Carolyn Lacy, Austin; sister Marcia Jacob, Quincy, Mass. and eight grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held in Austin at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to the University of Cincinnati or St. Charles Episcopal Church of Poulsbo.

An on-line memorial may be viewed at www.lewischapel.com. Arrangements are by Poulsbo Mortuary, “The Stone Chapel.”