Tryon, NC- Col. Robert Peyton Tabb, III (USA CE Ret.) passed from this life on Sunday, January, 27, 2008 of natural causes. He was born on Neatwood Farm near Dover and Lexington, Missouri on June 18, 1919. Col. Tabb was raised in Lexington, and attended Junior College at Wentworth Military Academy. He entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the summer of 1938 and graduated in 1942. He saw action as a combat engineer officer in North Africa, Normandy, France, Belgium, and Germany until after the German surrender. He also served in Korea before taking on peacetime roles in the United States and Europe. He received the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (w OLC), multiple Bronze Stars (w/ combat V), the Croix de Guerre (w/ silver star), the Ulchi Distinguished Service Medal (Korea), the Presidential Unit Citation, and numerous other medals and ribbons. He obtained his Masters of Science in Civil Engineering from Cornell University in 1947. Following his military service he became the General Assistant Manager for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) in charge of Design and Construction. This became one of the world's best rapid transit systems and won the Golden Hammer Award for one of the 10 best engineering feats of the decade. He subsequently served as one of the Project Managers on the design and construction of the Northeast Corridor Railroad Project, which totally revamped and reconstructed the rail system from Boston to Washington.As an active member of the Tryon Community, Mr. Tabb was a member of the Gillette Woods Neighborhood Association, served as President of the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club, was a member of the Board of Directors of Hospice of the Carolina Foothills and the Lanier Library. He is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Mary Evelyn (Coleman); his brother James W. Tabb; his sons Robert P. Tabb, IV, George W. Tabb, Richard B. Tabb, and John C. Tabb; grandchildren: Mary Katherine Tabb, James Winn Tabb, Jacqueline Peyton Tabb, Kathryn Anne Tabb, Joshua Nathan Tabb, Rebekah Eileen Tabb, Peyton Lee Tabb, Alexis Faith Tabb, and Jack Barham Tabb; his step-daughter Jeanette Gardenhire, and step-son Charles L. Cecil; their children and great-grandchildren; and nieces Diane M. (Tabb) Berglund, and LeeAnn E (Tabb) Whippen, and their children.Funeral services were held in the McFarland Funeral Chapel, Tryon, NC on Tuesday, January 29th at 4:00 P.M with Dr. James A. McPherson officiating. A second service will be held at the Old Cadet Chapel at the United States Military Academy at West Point (NY)on Monday, February 4th, 2008 at 10:00 A.M., followed by a full military honors burial at the West Point Cemetery.
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