Col. Robert Blanchard USAF, Ret., 92, a retired Air Force command pilot and a former editor of the old St. Louis Globe-Democrat, died Thursday, April 17, 2025, at a St. Louis nursing home.
He served 31 years in the Air Force, including active-duty tours in Vietnam and Japan as a transport pilot. He flew 75 combat missions in Vietnam and was awarded a Bronze Star. He retired from the Air Force Reserve in 1985.
He joined the Globe-Democrat, a major metropolitan daily newspaper, as a reporter in 1957 and was business and financial editor when the newspaper folded in 1984. Later that year he became public relations director of the St. Louis Regional Commerce and Growth Association, editing its monthly newsletter, coordinating special events and also directing the chamber’s military affairs committee. He retired in 1995.
He was a leader in religious and veterans organizations in St. Louis and Belleville. He was an officer of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Belleville, where he taught Sunday School more than 40 years. The family moved from Belleville to the Central West End in St. Louis in 2018.
Col. Blanchard was a volunteer at the McDonnell USO at Lambert Airport and a reader at Mind’s Eye Radio Service for the Blind, where his specialty was reading the newspaper comic pages. His program was syndicated and heard in many parts of the nation.
He was president of the Gideons International camp of North St. Clair County, IL. He was a past commander and adjutant of the Military Order of the World Wars St. Louis Chapter. His other organizations included the Sons of the American Revolution, the Aviation and Space Writers, the Air Force Association, the Order of Daedalians, the VFW and the Vietnam Veterans of America.
In 2005 and 2009, he was chairman of the Belleville Memorial Day parade and program, hosted by the VFW Post 1739.
As a hobby, Col. Blanchard presented historical dramatizations to organizations, churches and schools in Missouri and Illinois. His favorite was Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
An avid sports fan and golfer, he was known as “Mister Redbird” and a booster of the Fighting Illini sports teams and Chief Illiniwek. He was a 1954 graduate of the University of Illinois. He attended high school in Du Quoin, IL.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Betty L. Blanchard, nee Kirkpatrick, whom he married on April 11, 1959, and who died on December 7, 2019; his parents, Townsend and Anna, nee Jackson, Blanchard; and two brothers, Gene (Phyllis) Blanchard and Mark Blanchard.
He is survived by his two sons, Bob (Amy), of Waukegan, IL, and Kyle (Cinnamon), of Centralia, IL; a daughter, Mrs. Janet (Guy) Stevenson of St. Louis, MO.; five grandchildren, Sarah (Deric) Ashbrook and Daniel Stevenson of St. Louis, Garrett (Lindsay) Blanchard and Grace Blanchard of Centralia, and Paul Blanchard of Waukegan; a great-granddaughter, Emily Ashbrook; and many dear nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions made to First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville, IL. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com.
Memorial services will be held at 10:30 AM Saturday, June 14, 2025, at First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville, IL.
Private burial will be held at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, MO.
