B.S. Physical Education
M.S. Business Administration
Emporia State Teachers College
Basketball Coach
1949 - 1953
OBITUARY: Robert M. Signor, age 85, died
peacefully on Sunday, October 12, 2008, at St. Luke's
Hospital North. Bob was born in a farm house on June
1, 1923, in Atchison, Kan., to Joel Burt and Vivian Signor.
Bob had two brothers, Jack and Bill, and a sister, Betty
Jo. At Atchison High School, Bob was a
three sport letterman, and it was there that his competitive
spirit and love of sports developed. After high school, Bob
went to Emporia, Kan., to attend the college of Emporia,
where he was also a letterman in both basketball and track,
but more importantly, he met his future wife, Joan J.
Williams of Sedan, Kan. When WWII broke out, he interrupted
his college education to join the U.S. Army. Bob and Joan
were married before he was shipped to the South Pacific with
the 583rd Engineer Battalion. For service in the Luzon
Campaign, his decorations and citations included The
Philippine Liberation ribbon with one Bronze Star, Asiatic
Pacific Service Medal and WWII Victory Medal. At the end of
the war he was honorably discharged at the rank of sergeant,
and later received his discharge from the Reserves as a
first lieutenant. After the war Bob and Joan returned to
Emporia where he earned a bachelor's degree in physical
education and a master's degree in business administration.
Bob started his career as a basketball coach at Emporia,
which included coaching the young, future Hall of Fame coach
Dean Smith, with whom he kept in touch for the rest of his
life. Bob and Joan moved to Lawrence, Kan., via Osawatomie,
Kan., where he also coached basketball. During their years
in Lawrence, Bob counted the legendary Phog Allen as one of
his many friends. As a business executive, Bob worked
for several Fortune 500 companies, most notably Xerox,
before moving to Houston, Texas, to form his own company, R.
M. Signor Enterprises, an executive placement
service. A one-handicap golfer for most of his
life, Bob won many club championships and had numerous
holes-in-one. He will be dearly missed by all who
knew him for his intelligent wit, his love of family,
friends, sports, dogs and most of all his beloved wife and
companion, Joan. Survivors include Joan J. Signor; son,
Randy M. Signor and wife Jane Levine of Seattle, Wash.,
Randy's son, Robert M. Berry of Rochester, NY; son, Gary M.
and wife Rose Ann Signor and their children and
grandchildren of Kansas City, Mo.; brother, Bill and wife
Janet Signor and family of Dunn, NC. Memorial services will be 1 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 16, at Antioch Community Church, 4805 NE
Antioch Rd, Kansas City, Mo. Cremation. Memorial
contributions may be made to Animal Haven, 9800 W. 67th
Street, Merriam, KS 66203. Arrangements: Cremation Society
of KS & MO, 5561 NW Barry Rd. (816) 822-9888. Online
condolences at www.kccremation.com Published in the Kansas City
Star on 10/14/2008