Robert Maples

Robert Lee Maples, 92 of Havana, FL. passed away Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in Tallahassee, Florida

The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 1, 2012 at Faith Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Bill Bess officiating the service. Military honors will follow at the chapel. Interment is scheduled at Crownsville Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville MD. His family will receive friends after the service.

Mr. Maples served as part of the U.S. Army 38th Engineers, Company "E" during World War II and aided in building the airport on Ascension Island and 12 airports across Africa. He served in one of the first American troops to land on Utah Beach on D-Day during the Normandy Invasion of World War II to diffuse the land mines. He was decorated by General Charles de Gaulle in Paris with the French Croix de Guerre avec Palme, as well as the American Defense and Campaign Service Medals, European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal with bronze arrowhead and two bronze stars, Army of Occupation Medal with Germany bar, World War II Service Medal, and Good Conduct Medal. He received a "Diplome de Citoyen d'Honneur d'Utah-Beach" from the mayor of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, France.

He traveled to England and France to participate in the 50th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion and was awarded the 50th Anniversary Commemoration Medal from the Regional Council of Normandy, France.

Mr. Maples created his own construction business in Maryland. He was able to build his wife's dream retirement home and participated in building houses for needy people through Habitat for Humanity. He traveled to California many times and enjoyed touring the West. He always looked forward to raising the Army flag at the dedication of The Price of Freedom Veterans Memorial in Havana. He was extremely proud of his son when he graduated from the University of Maryland.

Mr. Maples is survived by his wife of 64 years, Clara Maples of Havana; and his son Robert L. Maples, Jr. of Berkeley, CA. one niece, one nephew, two great nieces and one great nephew, also four first cousins survive him.

Faith Funeral Home in Havana is in charge of arrangements 850.539.4300 or www.faithfuneralhome.com.