Robert L. Brandel

Robert L. Brandel age 61 of Spotsylvania county passed away on May 9, 2021at Virginia Hospital Center Arlington.

Bob Brandel was a follower of Christ, intelligent beyond measure, the ultimate Boy Scout, teacher of a thousand trades, a true renaissance man. Honestly, there wasn’t much he couldn’t do, and then if there was, he would learn it. He was so invaluable to his family and numerous others for all his dedication to helping with countless projects and activities. He loved being involved in his kids’ lives as much as possible.

He was born to Robert and Carol Brandel in St. Louis, Missouri on May 30th, 1959. He attended Catholic school as a child and was a dedicated Boy Scout, earning his Eagle Scout. He joined the Marine Corps and attended the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology for his B.S. in Electrical Engineering, followed by a move to the Army and getting his M.S. Intel in Network Design Communications at the University of Southern Mississippi. He was a BICSI RCDD, The Registered Communications Distribution Designer certification offered by Building Industry Consulting Service International. He met Cindy at a Christian singles retreat At the Black Forest Christian Academy in Germany while they both served as Captains in the Army, 6 months later they were married and spent the following 6 years visiting mostly on weekends, while deployed to different locations. They became pregnant with Robert, their firstborn son, left the military, and entered a Discipleship Training School, with Youth with a Mission in in Saint Croix, US Virgin Islands and Jamaica. This is where they met their lifelong friend, Missionary Minister, Henry Davis. As civilians they settled in Virginia where they had 5 more children, and spent a total of 34 years together. During that time, Bob worked for Ultra Technologies, Signal Solutions (later General Dynamics), and Booz Allen Hamilton, working countless contracts, including ones at the White House and Pentagon.

Bob had countless hobbies and interests, but some of the ones that stand out include: Boy Scouts, aquatics and shooting sports director, EMT medic volunteering, engineering, bicycle enthusiast, Church Volunteer (running event concessions, rewiring electrical plans, and cooking at men’s breakfast). He was a youth group and missions program leader, archery judge and instructor, lover of Camping. He was a trains, sewing, astronomy, leatherwork, legos, windsurfing and photography hobbyist. He loved to teach Red Cross & ASHI First Aid & CPR Instructor, NRA instructor, and Scuba Instructor. He was an Expert licensed Amateur (HAM) Radio operator and he was a real-bearded Santa.
Bob’s motto: “I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:2-3 HCSB

This was Bob Brandel’s core motto that we are blessed to be a blessing, first that we know Him and that we make Him known. Bob exemplified this through his servant's heart in volunteering, instructing, and growing God's identity within each life he poured into.

Survivors include his wife, Cynthia Brandel; children Robert Brandel III, Christiana & Ben Wilkinson, Elisha Brandel, Aaron Brandel, Micah Brandel, and Sarahgrace Brandel; brother William Brandel; nieces and nephews Fred Brandel, Meggie Brandel, Henry Brandel, Lorna Brandel, Kyle Rapp, Bryan Rapp, Skyler Calpin; and was welcoming his first grandson Blaze Robert Wilkinson.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made out to Grace Church Of Fredericksburg to support our close family friend and YWAM minister & missionary Henry Davis. Use the following link to donate, and in the drop down menu select “Bob Brandel Funeral”
https://pushpay.com/g/gcofonline?src=hpp 

The service can also be viewed online at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUzhqQtH3XVE36cXzMzzgxg