Robert Koniar

Bob was born on January 4th, 1942, in Cudahy, Wisconsin. He died on November 20, 2019 in Tooele, Utah, at the age of 77. Bob embarked on a media career as a theatre usher (Majestic and Cudahy Theatres) and as a rock/jazz band manager for "Montelles" while attending Cudahy High School. In 1961, he joined the United States Air Force, where he was trained as a combat cameraman/cinematographer at the U.S. Army Signal School, Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey. After training, Bob was stationed at Orlando AFB, Florida with the 1365th Photographic Squadron. There, he filmed training productions and documentaries for all U.S. Air Force domestic and overseas commands. Bob served two brief tours in the Republic of Panama and West Germany. After four years in the Air Force, he worked, briefly, as a news film cameraman for WISN-TV (CBS) and WFTV (ABC) affiliates in Milwaukee and Orlando respectively. Bob returned to government-related work as a documentary filmmaker for Vitro Services (Eglin AFB, FL), DynCorp (White Sands Missile Range, NM) and General Dynamics (Rancho Cucamonga, CA). He filmed escape systems testing of NASA’s Space Shuttle on the High-Speed Test Track (Holloman AFB, New Mexico). Later, he accepted a one-year contract as Principal Editor/Producer with Vinnell Arabia (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). Upon completion, Bob returned stateside for a Master Control Operator position with Armed Forces Radio & Television Services (Riverside, CA). In 2003, he accepted a Federal Civil Service position as a Scientific/Technical Photographer at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Bob retired in 2007, but worked, in semi-retirement, as a documentary cinematographer/consultant living in Tooele, Utah outside of Salt Lake City. In 2010, Bob co-chaired a 50th class reunion (Cudahy High School Class of 1960) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Subsequently, he published a quarterly newsletter for his classmates around the country. Bob acquired the professional nickname “C.B.” while serving in the U.S. Air Force. The initials were in honor of the famous Hollywood director - - Cecil B. DeMille whom he tried to emulate during his film career. Bob earned an Associate of Arts degree from New Mexico State University. He enjoyed elk & deer hunting and treasure hunting around ghost towns with his metal detector, and he vacationed in Europe on a number of occasions. In 1990, on a hunting/vacation trip to the Republic of Slovakia, he brought down a 400 lb. European elk (Red Deer). Bob enjoyed watching NASCAR races, NFL football, and was a proud Green Bay Packers Shareholder. Bob is survived by a brother, John (Vi) Koniar, sisters, Luddy Matuszak and Betty Johnson, and a multitude of nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, Adam and Eva, his brother Vladimir, his brother-in-law Duane, and his sister Darinka. Following a brief military honor guard service in Cudahy, internment will take place at the “Perpetual Light” cemetery in Veľký Biel, Slovakia alongside his brother Vladimir who passed away in 1983.

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