1st Lt. David A. McRobie

[ironputts]

August 5, 2022

1st Lt. David A. McRobie
Clarksburg Composite Squadron
West Virginia Wing

David Allen McRobie, 83, of Fairmont passed away on Monday, July 25, 2022. He was born in Fairmont on February 06, 1939, a son of the late Calvin Frances and Mabel Linn McRobie. David enlisted in the Air Force in April 1955, where he proudly served until 1976 retiring as a Senior Master Sergeant. David had a multi-faceted career. He owned his own construction company, worked for Chessie System Railroad as a brakeman and engineer, and was a tractor-trailer driver for United Parcel Service. It can't go unremarked that David was a man in motion. He always seemed to be going somewhere, literally. In the Air Force, he travelled the world. As a brakeman/engineer, he drove trains across West Virginia. As a truck driver, he drove across America's highways. As a pilot, he flew above them. But no matter where he went, or how he got there, he always came back home to West Virginia. It's remarkable that he always came back home. This is meant both in a sentimental way, but also in a very real sense. Because at no fault of his own, Dave wrecked nearly every mode of transportation. It is a miracle he survived some of these. He wrecked cars, motorcycles, and trucks (and oh man, was that last one a doozy). Most impressively, David wrecked a train "the Cowen 48". When coming out of the mountain tunnel, he discovered the 602 feet railroad trestle above a 70-foot-deep lake in front of him was on fire. Knowing he could not slow the train in time, David opened the throttle and drove the train across the burning bridge, getting the three diesel engines and the first few coal cars safely across. Derailed cars were left strung across the bridge on charred ties, with the remainder of the 87-car train stopping inside the tunnel. The arriving rescue crew found him atop the locomotive eating his lunch. Tip your cap to Dave's guardian angel. That one had to work overtime that day. In his later years, David enjoyed gardening, spending time at the Marion County Senior Center and working out at Fairmont Fitness. He was a member of the Civil Air Patrol, and the V.F.W. David had a love of flying and enjoyed sharing his passion with others. David would loan his Cessna 172 plane to students and other pilots for them to acquire or check-rides to maintain their license. In early 2021, he donated his plane to Fairmont State University Aviation Program since he was no longer physically able to fly. He is survived by three sons Michael McRobie and his wife Nancy of Dover, Delaware, David W. McRobie and his wife Darla of Fairmont and Steve McRobie of Morgantown; three daughters Shelda Martin and her husband Scott of Charleston, WV, Rhonda Starsick and her husband Rick of Fairmont, WV, and Donna Belle and her husband John of Dallas, Texas; one brother Dale McRobie and his wife Mary of Belmont, Ohio; four sisters Luella Ice and her husband Bill of Fairmont, WV, Linda Barnette of Fairmont, WV, Francis Louise McRobie of Kingmont, WV and Betsy Pipes and her husband Michael of Savannah, Tennessee; fifteen grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his ex-wife Christine of 36 years and one sister Alice Lea Cheuvront.