Robert W. Clawson, 74, a long-time resident of Twin Lakes, died Saturday, June 7, 2014 at National Church Residences in Cuyahoga Falls.
A Ph.D. graduate from UCLA in Soviet Studies, Brother Bob Clawson was the founder of the Lyman L. Lemnitzer Center for NATO studies at Kent State University where he had been the resident specialist in the Warsaw Pact until its dissolution. More recently, he had joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 06-01, and completed a term as flotilla commander in 2013. Bob passed away on June 7, 2014, at National Church Residences in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
In one of his last updates for his Epsilon Pi brothers, Brother Bob had this to say:
“Have just been selected to be Vice Commander of my Coast Guard Auxiliary flotilla (6-1). Trained all summer on Lake Erie for crew qualification and am now working on boat commander. Now have a patrol boat on the lake out of Whiskey Island. Am also making money selling my art (not much money). Have a time share in Aruba and will visit in March. Son, colonel Greg, graduated first in his class at Air War College and has been appointed Senior Air Attaché to Hungary as of 2011. Daughter, Dr. Debbie, now has tenure at Catholic University in Washington.”
We mourn the passing of this highly accomplished brother and extend our condolences to his family and friends.
He was born December 21, 1939 in Glendale, CA to Charles Verner and Ada Fern (Hower) Clawson. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, in Soviet Studies and was Professor Emeritus of European Military Studies at Kent State University (KSU). He greatly enjoyed teaching and was the Recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award in 1986, presented by the KSU Alumni Association. He was also Director of the Center for International and Comparative Programs and Co-founder of the Lyman L. Lemnitzer Center for NATO studies (at KSU) where he was resident specialist in the Warsaw Pact until its dissolution. After retiring he pursued many new activities, with vigor, including consulting on employee ownership projects in the former Soviet Union, mastering the art of French cooking (and dining), painting with watercolors and acrylics, and travelling with his wife and friends to 5 continents. He was an avid collector of military uniforms and became the world’s foremost expert on Russian and Soviet combat helmets. Most recently he joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 06-01, and completed a term as flotilla commander last year. He always looked sharp in a uniform. In addition, he was a member of the Old Boys Book Club and Sigma Nu fraternity.