Posted by John P. Proulx on November 12, 2003:

I first met Bob in the fall of 1978 after he returned to Co. E-3 from Corps Squad football after Reorgy Week. I believe Bob was the first of our class to get written up for PDA. Very few weekends went by without seeing Bob and Diana cruising around in their infamous black Rambler. It was during our four years at West Point that Bob was able to develop and refine his ?Stupid Pet Imitations? which always ended with the anteater. Terrence Garland, Bob, and I nicknamed ourselves Aramus, Porthos, and Athos, respectively, after The Three Musketeers, and lived the motto of ?All for one and one for all!? Bob and Diana were the second of our class to be married on Graduation Day. During Terrence?s wedding a few days later it finally hit the three of us that we would not be together again for a long time. (As it turned out we would not get together again until June 1992.) It was the first time in four years that I saw Bob cry. We always remember that moment as the time we became ?blubbering idiots.? Bob and I remained close throughout the years following graduation. We both went to Ft. Bliss for Officer Basic, flew overseas together for our first assignments in Germany, and came back to Ft. Bliss for the Officer Advance Course. He always busted my chops for not following his instructions to call DA and get enrolled in the same Advance Course so we could be together in the same class. He left Ft. Bliss for Ft. Lewis where he had his first battery command. Bob left Ft. Lewis for Northwestern University in Chicago to get his Masters, returned to West Point to teach Leadership, then on to Leavenworth for the CGSC residence course, and, finally, to Ft. Polk. My wife and I, along with Diana, had the privilege of attending the last two classes Bob taught at West Point. It was the Course Review for his Leadership class prior to Term Ends. His clear and concise interpretation of the material had even me understanding it. What I remember most about the experience, however, was the part where Bob imparted ?DeMange?s Leadership Points To Ponder? to the class. They were eight to ten points of advise for new lieutenants that were applicable, not only in the beginning, but throughout their Army careers. Bob had the ability to express his thoughts, ideas, instructions, and suggestions clearly and in simple, understandable terms. He would never talk down to anybody. His sense of humor was never at the expense of other people. Bob was genuine and never put on airs. Wherever and whenever I visited the DeMange?s, I was impressed with the numbers of people who were their friends. It was never one or two neighbors; rather, it seemed to be the whole neighborhood. It was never a passing acquaintance, but a genuine friendship that, I am sure, carried on beyond that particular tour. Bob and I would talk on the phone every month or two and had done so since graduation. He would keep me up on what was going on in the Army, who he had seen, where he was going, what he was doing, etc. While he loved the Army, he loved his family more. He told me he was looking forward to retirement so he would not have to uproot them so often. And his love went beyond just his immediate family. He unselfishly took in his sister?s four boys for almost a year. He sent his brother a round-trip plane ticket so the whole family could have a reunion over the Christmas holiday. He told me he was looking forward to getting to his twenty-year mark so he could retire in the Ft. Lewis area and get into teaching. Bob was my confidant. We would talk about anything and everything. His advise always seemed to make sense. He never said what he thought you wanted to hear but what you needed to hear. His loyalty as a friend was unsurpassed. I went to the scene of the accident on Ft. Polk the day after it happened. Bob was riding his motorcycle on Valentine?s Day to morning PT when a car or small truck (I?m not really sure which) pulled out in front of him. He apparently knew what was happening because there was a long skid mark where he had locked up the brakes. He hit just behind the driver?s door and was thrown forward, sustaining severe head and neck injuries. He was put on life support systems at the hospital on Ft. Polk and was transferred the next day to the hospital in Alexandria. After numerous tests that showed Bob was essentially brain dead, Diana made the tough decision to remove the life support and donate his organs. Whoever received his organs got excellent goods because he had run a marathon in Houston, Texas just a few weeks earlier. The memorial service at Ft. Polk was a beautiful and moving tribute to Bob. The Post Chapel was filled to standing room only. Units were turned away because there just wasn?t enough room. I don?t think the Chapel ever fell so silent as when the First Sergeant called out, ?Major DeMange...Major DeMange...Major DeMange? during The Final Roll Call. Condolences literally came in from around the world, from Germany, Korea, Japan, and throughout the States. Anything good that can be said about a person can be said about Bob. My wife, who knew Bob for only a short time, told me she could tell he was a special person. I am going to miss his smile, his laughter, and, especially, his friendship.

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