Robert Bequette

Robert J. Bequette, age 80, of Evansville, passed away Sunday, November 11, 2012 at his home. Robert was born in Festus, MO in 1931 and served his country in the United States Army from 1953 to 1955. He received academic degrees in pharmacy and pharmaceutics from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy where he was also on the faculty for four years. He met his wife, M. Joleen Pattison at a square dance at the St. John’s School of Nursing in St. Louis and married her at the St. Louis Cathedral in 1955. He was a Pharmaceutical Research Scientist with Bristol Myers Squibb from 1960 to 1992 where he was co-inventor of several patents issued in the United States and other countries covering successfully marketed products. He was a registered pharmacist in Missouri and Indiana and a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association. He was active in Boy Scouts of America, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Christian Life Center kitchen and on various commissions at Sacred Heart and Corpus Christi churches in Evansville. He was president of the Evansville area Catholic High Schools and chaired the steering committee that formed Westside Consolidated Catholic School. He was a member of VFW Post #1114 and a member of the Brute Society in the diocese of Evansville. He enjoyed his faith, family, friends, music, gardening and other outdoor sports. Surviving Bob are his wife of 57 years, Joleen (Pattison) Bequette; a daughter, Margaret “Peg” (Thomas) Murphy of Danville, IN; two sons, Stephen (Sandy) Bequette of Evansville and Matthew (Yumei) Bequette of Rancho Cucamonga, CA; one sister, Mildred Kelly of Affton, MO and a brother, Raymond Bequette, of Festus, MO. Also surviving are 12 grandchildren and six great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother, Norman Bequette. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, November 15, 2012 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Rev. Jim Blessinger officiating. Entombment will take place in St. Joseph Mausoleum. Friends may visit with the family from 2:00 until 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday at Pierre Funeral Home, 2601 W. Franklin Street where there will be a memorial service held at 4:00 P.M. Friends may also visit with the family from 10:00 A.M. until service time on Thursday at Corpus Christi. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 5528 Hogue Road, Evansville, IN 47712, Mater Dei Music Department 1300 Harmony Way, Evansville, IN 47720 or to the Christian Life Center Soup Kitchen, 509 S. Kentucky Ave., Evansville, IN 47714.

Robert Bequette

December 12, 1931 - November 11, 2012