Robert M. Karnes, 86, of Danville, Indiana, passed away peacefully in his home on Sunday, January 14, 2018.

A memorial mass will be held on Saturday, January 20th at 2:30 pm at St. Ann Catholic Church, 6350 S. Mooresville Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46221. A gathering for friends and family will be held immediately following the mass in the church hall. Robert’s final resting place will be in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Robert was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania on August 19, 1931.  After graduating from high school, he joined the Army, where he rose to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer over a twenty-two year career of active duty in service to his country. Robert retired from the Army on July 31, 1970.

Robert was married to Esther R. Karnes (Armijo) on June 6, 1953. They were married for 66 years.

Robert received his BS in Business Administration from the IUPUI Kelley School of Business in May 1982 while working for the U.S. Government as a civil servant until his retirement in 1993.  He enjoyed traveling in his fifth wheel camper, reading western novels (Louis L’Amour) and spy novels (Tom Clancy), discussing local/national news with his buddies at the neighborhood donut shop, and watching movies in his power recliner chair.

Robert is survived by his six children:  Michael Karnes, Thomas Karnes, (Auta), Monica Stahlhut (Jeff), Mary Markham (Tommy), Angela Hayes, and Katherine Foster (Jeff); his 18 grandchildren, Frankie, Lawana, Shannon, Lauren, Hannah, Kyle, Chris, Rosendo, Ariana, Sean, Erin, Leslie, Bailey, Isabella, Nick, Justin, Shelby Lynn, and Jett; and 13 great grandchildren, Nathaniel, Josiah, Christine, Isabel, Wyatt, Aiden, Ryan, Ella, Adalynn, Nolan, Jaslynn, Gracie, Daymon, his brother, Ed, and his sister, Kathy and the rest of his relatives.

Robert is preceded in death by his father, Charles, and mother, Regina, his brother, Charles, his sisters, Betty and Rosemary, his son, James, and his daughter, Barbara.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be given to Disabled Veterans Charities, 13550 E. Ramona Blvd., Baldwin Park, California, 91706.

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