Obituary of Captain Robert Surface
Captain Robert L. Surface, MSC, USN (retired), age 77, died October 18, 2008. Born in
Glendale, Ohio, he graduated from Sharonville, Ohio High School and entered the US Navy in 1950.
He later graduated from George Washington University. He married the former Estelle Essy Weiss of
Lakewood, NJ in 1955 and after a distinguished and honorable career of 31 years, he retired as a
Captain in 1981. During his career he served at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD;
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Washington, DC; Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, as Executive
Officer, Naval Academy Hospital, Annapolis, MD and Commanding Officer, Regional Medical Clinic,
Seattle, WA where he retired in 1981. Captain Surface resided in Edmonds, WA until 2001, when he
and his family moved to Florida and have resided in the Villages since 2002. He is survived by
his wife, Essy, of 50 years, 3 children, Leslye Pinto (Frank), Naples, FL,: James A. Surface
(Lillian), Miami, FL; David L. Surface (Mary), Montesano, WA.; 5 grandchildren, 4 great
grandchildren; 2 sisters, Judy Taylor, Sandusky, OH, and Carol Chapman, Sharonville, OH; preceded
in death by a brother, William Surface. Bob would like to be remembered as a loving husband,
father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend to all he has met on his journey, especially
his Navy buddies.