OBITUARY: Space Pioneer Robert Paul Graveline, 97, Passed Away May 27 of Natural Causes

was enthusiastic and popular volunteer at Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum

Robert Paul Graveline, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away of natural causes on May 27, 2025.

Born in Denver, Colorado, on August 2, 1927, Bob attended Pocatello High School in Idaho, where he would later be honored as an outstanding alum. He received Bachelor of Science Degrees in mathematics and physics from Idaho State University and spent his career working for the Northrop and Lockheed corporations.

He was involved with telemetry and data reduction on the Snark missile program, docking techniques for the Gemini program, the Agena rocket, the Hubble Space Telescope, spy satellites, and the space shuttle.

On the Ranger program, Bob Graveline and his team of engineers’ names were engraved on a plaque that now resides on the moon.

Bob was an enthusiastic and popular volunteer at the Sands Space History Center and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum for over 40 years, sharing his technical knowledge as well as entertaining firsthand stories of the early days at the Cape.

He was also a volunteer tram driver at MacArthur Beach State Park, and remained very active with both pursuits through the Spring of this year.

He was preceded in death by his cherished wife, Betty Bryan Graveline, and five brothers and sisters, and is survived by his son, Robert Bryan Graveline, MD and his wife Joy, his daughter Rebecca Graveline Doane, Esq, and her husband Randy, grandchildren Sarah Graveline Constantine (Jason), Elizabeth P. Davaro (Facundo), H. Bryan Doane (Kathleen), Robert Bryan Graveline, Jr. (Katie), Randell B. Doane and Laura R. Graveline, and great-grandchildren Emilia L. Davaro, Alexandra P. Davaro, Isabela M. Davaro, Benjamin M. Constantine, Henry Paul Constantine, Grace M. Graveline, Anna T. Graveline, and Crosby A. Doane.

Bob Graveline lived a happy, joyous life. His favorite expression was “Fantastic!”, and as a lifelong devout Catholic, he told his family: “I’m so happy to have lived long enough to finally see a Pope named Bob

A viewing was held June 1, 2025, at North Brevard Funeral Home. A funeral mass was held at St. Teresa Catholic Church in Titusville on June 2. The burial followed at Oak Hill Burial Park in Lakeland, FL.

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