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<em>Robert Louis Soper, Jr.</em> was born at home in Newark, NY, the eldest of four chil­dren of Robert L. and F. Marie (Schramm) Soper, Sr. He graduated from Newark High School in 1951 and in July of that year en­tered West Point with the Class of 1955. He was a proud member of Company M-1, serving four years as class Hop Manager and as platoon leader First Class year. He also was a Corps B Squad football player and a Corps Squad wrestler.</p>
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Bob had no trouble with academics, but his confrontations with the Tactical Department are legendary. He viewed the blue book (cadet regulations) as a challenge to his ingenuity, and he was sorely disap­pointed when an addition to the blue book issued only a week prior to graduation gave him insufficient time to challenge the added regulations. One roommate referred to Bob as the Lone Ranger and another declared that “Sope was a Free Spirit.” Perhaps Bob said it best when faced with devising a solu­tion to any difficult task: he would declare that there was the right way, the wrong way, the army way, and the Soper Method.</p>
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Shortly after graduation, Bob served as best man for one of his roommates. As the groom stepped out on the rostrum to receive his bride, Sope pulled him back into the pastor’s study where they had been waiting. He said as he pointed, “there are two doors out of this study. That one leads out to the street and freedom, this one leads to a life­time of commitment. As your best man, it is my duty to point out your options.” He later told his former roommate that he would never marry because he would be unwilling to make the degree of commitment to an­other person that a good marriage required. He did, however, qualify his stance by saying, “but if I ever find the person to whom I could totally commit, I’ll know she is THE ONE immediately, and there won’t be any long courtship”. Bob met Bertie (aka Kim) Wilson the first week of December 1956 at Ft. Hood. They married three weeks later on 29 Dec 1956.</p>
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The commitment was, per the Soper Method, demanding but complete. Bertie was divorced with two small sons, who Bob adopted. After Bob’s death, one of the boys wrote, “On May 27th, 2009, they buried my hero. He took me and raised me as his own, and I drew from the strength of his character and learned from his honor and his commitment to family.”</p>
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Bob branched Armor, and after the Officer Basic Course he qualified as both Airborne and Ranger. Bob served in Korea, France, Vietnam, Germany, Thailand, and several stateside posts. In mid career, Bob ap­plied for Special Forces. He was advised that the only vacancy was for a Quartermaster of­ficer. Bob promptly branch transferred and served during 1967–68 as the Quartermaster for the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam, where the Soper Method was especially ef­fective in devising and providing non-stan­dard supplies for highly unusual missions. In 1967 Bob earned his master’s degree in phys­ics from the Naval Post Graduate School and then taught physics at West Point during 1968–72. He retired after 23 years of service in 1978. During his Army career, he earned two Legions of Merit, a Bronze Star, the Commendation Medal, and an Air Medal.</p>
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After retiring from the Army, Bob worked for Bell Helicopter, Aramco, and Douglas Aircraft in various supply and support positions. His duties took him and Bertie to various foreign postings, including Iran and Saudi Arabia.</p>
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In 1997, Bob suf­fered a debilitating stroke that left him para­lyzed on his right side and forced him to retire. That stroke, plus complications from his exposure to Agent Orange, put him on a slow but continual descent to his final destination. En route he suffered diabe­tes, blindness, kidney disease, a major heart attack, and several small strokes. Although he lost the ability to care for himself, he never lost his sense of humor. As his younger brother commented, “The twinkle in his eye, his tongue-in-cheek comments, and his cautious but outgoing personality were there to the end.”</p>
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During those twelve very difficult years from 1997 to 2009, Bertie was there, caring for him with her love and a degree of com­mitment that matched Bob’s commitment to her and the boys. With Bertie at his side, Bob died at his home early Sunday morn­ing, 24 May 2009. It is fitting that this career soldier and patriot passed away on a Memorial Day weekend.</p>
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Three of Bob’s West Point roommates were at his funeral, as was his nephrologist, a 1973 graduate who had been one of Bob’s physics students. The Freedom Riders es­corted Bob’s body from the funeral home to the cemetery, and in typical Soper fashion, Bertie rode as a passenger with the lead cy­clist. At the cemetery, Bob was accorded full military honors provided by a contingent from Ft. Hood, TX.</p>
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After the funeral, Bertie received numer­ous letters and visits from Bob’s classmates. To one of them she responded, “I was hon­ored to be a military wife, but it wasn’t un­til these past few weeks that I have come to a full appreciation of the intensity and the enduring nature of the bond that was created 54 years ago by a coura­geous and dedicated group of men who swore to and lived by the true meaning of Duty, Honor, Country.” Those of us left be­hind will sorely miss the Soper Method and its ar­chitect. Be thou at peace soldier, friend, brother, father, and husband.</p>
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