James Robert Chestnut, 76, Engineer at NADC

Bob Chesnut, a resident of Warminster since 1976 passed away on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 at the Doylestown Hospital. He was 76.

Bob was the husband of the late Sallie Chesnut.

Born in Duncan, Okla., Bob was a son of the late C. Tully Chesnut and Lynette Townsend Chesnut.

In 1954 Bob became a C-5 quadriplegic, due to a traumatic neck injury while playing varsity football for Ridley Township High School against Chester HS. Bob completed high school, and later went on to attend Swarthmore College and received his B.S degree in Engineering (honors program) in 1962. 

He also earned a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and went on to work as a radome engineer for the U.S. Department of the Navy at the Johnsville Naval Air Development Center. He was recognized as the outstanding handicapped Navy employee of the year in 1976, and was a respected analyst in the Navy until his retirement when Johnsville NADC was closed.

Bob did not let his injury quell his enthusiasm for sports. He developed a passion for coaching young kids. He coached boys’ basketball in Ridley Park from 1963 until he moved to Warminster in 1976, and then became very active with the Warrington Athletic Association, coaching youth boys and girls basketball as well as softball. 

He demonstrated the ability to successfully teach children proper technique and skills despite being unable to physically demonstrate those skills with his own body. His proud accomplishment in retirement was to have his instructional competence recognized with a paid part time coaching post as head of the William Tennent girls junior varsity basketball team. It was believed that Bob was the longest living C-5 quadriplegic. 

Bob was a member of the Neshaminy Warwick Presbyterian Church, through which he met his beloved wife.

Bob is survived by two sons, John Byron Bechtel III and his wife Barbara and William Jefferey Bechtel and his wife Alle, two daughters Deborah Winters and her husband David and Susanna Boehs and her husband Donald, six grandchildren and one great granddaughter. He is also survived by his brother Lynn Chesnut and his wife Betty.

Relatives and friends are invited to Bob’s Funeral Service 11 a.m. Friday, November 22 at the Neshaminy Warwick Presbyterian Church, 1401 Meetinghouse Rd., Hartsville where the family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.