Robert G. Dockstader II

Geoff / Cheryl Halsey 91w

Missing Our Brother

Think about you everyday. The memories keep you here with us.

2 year anniversary❤️

We miss you Doc! The turkey was flowing thanks to your parents. Love you.

Mark Byers 102w

Doc, I miss you.

I met Rob in early April 1990. I transferred from CA to NC into 3rd. Plt. I reported in with another Marine, Bill, that I had served with in CA. We were assigned rooms, my roommate told me to hurry up and put my gear down and get out, he was trying to sleep. Bill’s roommate was absent, we were told he was down the street in the wooded area. After a while we decided to go look for him. After a short walk we found Bill’s roommate in the woods digging a fighting hole. We asked him if he was Dockstader, Rob stopped digging, looked around cautiously, and said “yea”. We introduced ourselves and asked him why he was digging a hole. Doc explained that it was a punishment for something that he did (I honestly do not remember what his infraction was) and then he said you guys should leave before the Corporal sees you and makes it worse for me or he has you join me. It was at that point all three of us became friends. At some point we started calling Rob “The Doctor” and “Doc” for short, I think Bill named him that, either after something that he did or a story that he told. We spent a lot of our time off together. Eventually Rob bought a car and I drove with him back to his hometown of Galion several times. During the 11 hour drive we would talk about our lives growing up, the friendships we had, family life, sports, and town dynamics. When it came to sports the conversation was heavily dominated by Doc. I realized that we were raised in a similar manner and we both knew we wanted to be in the military while still in elementary school. Rob always wanted to be a Marine, I didn’t know until I was in 7th grade, mainly because I had no idea what the difference in services were, but once I found out, it was the Marine Corps for me. Staying in Gallion with Rob was interesting, it seemed like anywhere we went in public people would go out of their way to talk with Rob. Rob’s dad, Bob, couldn’t say enough good things about him and it was the same for his mom, Sharon. Bob, Sharon, and Angie always made me feel welcome in their home as I never felt uncomfortable in their house when Rob would leave me there so he could visit Julie. As I look back at that period of time in my life, I can say that Doc and I were as close, if not closer that brothers. Anytime anyone in Fox Co. was looking for either one of us, we pretty much knew where each other was and what we were doing. Over the years we fell in and out of touch with each other, but on almost every Marine Corps Birthday we would talk. We would pick up right where we left off from our last conversation as if it was yesterday. As I reflect on the 216th Marine Corps Birthday that Doc and I shared together as active duty Marines almost 33 years ago, it seems like a long time as I read the words I just typed, but the feeling and memories don’t seem that long ago. I greatly missed talking to Doc last year on the 10th of November. As 10 November 2024 approaches with the 249th Marine Corps birthday I will miss it again and for all of the future birthdays to come. Doc, my brother, I will always miss you.

Robert Dockstader 143w

1 year

Missing you everyday. 1 year later and it seems like yesterday. Always in my heart. Love mom

Robert Dockstader 144w

Memory from Angie

When I was a kid, we had a bully in our neighborhood named Scotty. We also had Rob. Any time Scotty would bully someone (especially the girls in the neighborhood), Rob would inflict his own justice on Scotty. One time Rob and Scotty were arguing and I got in-between them and told Scotty to "Leave my brother alone." Scotty hit me, I started crying, I heard Rob yell "You hit my sister!" and Rob was fighting him in the streets. To me, it seemed from that moment on if someone was being bullied you can count on Rob to stand up for them and deal with the bullies himself. He was tough, funny, (even if his jokes were inappropriate at times), and he had a big heart. He truly cared about people. These qualities, I feel, made him an awesome son, Marine, brother, uncle and friend to anyone he met. On 1/27/2023 at 9:01 p.m. I got a phone call that completely shattered my world and I am still having a hard time accepting it. My big brother is no longer with us. I know Rob really cared for all of his friends. I pray that when you look back at the times you had with him, you will be able to smile and even laugh. I know it is Cliche, but he truly was one of a kind.