A New Lease on Life

Former B-24 Radio Operator now enjoying Second Childhood

It’s incredible that there are so many fascinating stories among our winter visitors that need to be told. Here is one of them. It’s the story of Robert Randolph from Kenwood RV Park, whose life story you’ll enjoy learning about, and about his surprising current passion.

His odyssey began in 1943 at the peak of World War II. That year he graduated from an Illinois high school and was quickly snapped up by Uncle Sam. They needed radio operators to fly dangerous missions in B-24 bombers over Nazi Germany. He flew 15 such bombing runs over Europe.

 

“We blasted the daylights out of Romanian Ploesti oil fields and other Nazi military targets,” he said, adding, “and, to tell the truth, I didn‘t expect to life through the war. The B-24 bomber was dubbed the ‘Flying coffin,’ because they were huge, slow, low flying and vulnerable to attacks by Messerschmitt ME 109s and fierce ground fire–but I did survive.”

Survive he did: He is now retired from a successful career in Life Insurance and spends his time traveling coast to coast and visiting his many friends and family members. Since 2008, every October to May he spends in the Valley, and takes part in all the Kenwood park activities, including the golf cart races. He says he loves the “vagabond lifestyle.” He added, “I am enjoying my second childhood in many ways–the first one I missed because of the war.”

Part of that second childhood includes his latest passion–Adult Coloring??? Oh, yeah, Robert is a 90-year-old senior so involved in coloring that he is looking to exhibit in another coloring contest.

He was introduced to the hobby by an artist friend in the park. Her name is “Ruthie.” She thought I would be a likely candidate for adult coloring. So, she brought me my first coloring book. “At first, I said, ‘No way!;’” My entire art experience had been coloring Mickey and Minnie, with crayons, when I was a kid.” But, I bought the pencils and colored ball points and joined the coloring book hobbyists all over the country. “Soon” he said,” I finished my first design, and I was totally amazed–and pleased–and pretty proud after some friends said, ‘I like that.’ Now I was hooked”.

“Coloring beautiful designs is a challenge and gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment,” he said. He invites others to try it–”Who knows, you might like it.”