Obituary of Robert John Kohout

Robert John (Bob) Kohout, age 93 passed away peacefully on February 27, 2026 at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton, N.B.

Cremation has taken place and at Bob’s request, there will be no visitation nor funeral service.

Bob was born in River Hebert, N.S. on July 6^th, 1932 to the late Joseph and Edith Kohout (Robichaud). He was the third of eleven children and has many fond memories of growing up with his siblings. He spent his first 18 years in River Hebert, and in 1950, after graduating high school, joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) where he spent 34 years in the Logistics Branch before retiring in 1984. At that time, he accepted a position with DND as a Capital Procurement Officer in Ottawa where he remained until he finally retired in 1991 after 41 years of total service.

Bob liked to say that during his military career, “I never had a transfer I didn’t enjoy”. He did, however, have a couple of favourites that stood out. Among them included a one-year attachment to the Golden Hawks, an air acrobatics flying team which travelled across Canada and Eastern U.S. performing air shows with the USAF Thunderbirds and the USN Blue Angels. The other memorable appointment, perhaps his favourite, was a two-year Officer Exchange Program which took him and his family to the Boston area to work on a joint Canadian/U.S. Communications Surveillance Program.

Bob had a lifelong love of baseball, and claimed to be a better-than average bowler. He was also known to pick up a guitar with his other music loving friends and family to have a good sing-along with a glass of wine or a beer. Most of all he was a kind, patient and gentle soul who saw the best in people and who always looked for the silver lining.

Bob is predeceased by his first wife Alma (Hebert), his dear wife Knighta (McLaughlin), his brothers Don, Doug, Mack and Wayne, and his sisters Elaine, Eleanor and Joyce.

He is survived by his son Riley Stewart (Keith Duncanson) of Ottawa, his two step-daughters, Susan Wood (Dan Dixon) of Ottawa and Amy Wood of Fredericton, his grandchildren Nik (Leo), Avery, Tyler, Nadia and Clara, and his siblings Bill and Sandy.

He moved through life with a sense of humour, curiosity and understanding that left a mark on all those lucky enough to have shared in his journey, and will be missed and remembered dearly by many.  

In place of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Chalmers Foundation (https://chalmersfoundation.com/).