Robert E. Yocum, 87, of Washington, passed away at 1:32pm Tuesday, August 14, 2018 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Bob was born March 15, 1931 in Lewistown, IL to Arthur and Pauline Brillhart Yocum. He married Erika Wochele, of Pforzheim, Germany, on January 1, 1956 in Lewistown; she passed away July 24, 2015. Surviving is their son, Bryan (Sue) Yocum of Washington; his siblings, Keith Yocum of Texas, Carol (Wesley) McKinley of Kansas City, KS and Beth Ann (Bob) Hazzard of Lewistown; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings Paula and Gerald Yocum. Bob graduated from Lewistown High School in 1949. Her served with the First Marine Division in Korea in 1957. He was one of 33 volunteers to be the first to use helicopters in combat. While on this mission conducting house to house searches, he was slightly wounded by a hand grenade, for which he received the Purple Heart. In 1994, he retired from Caterpillar Proving Grounds as a research mechanic after 45 years of service. A funeral service for Bob will be held at 11:00am Saturday, August 18, 2018 at Deiters Funeral Home and Crematory in Washington. Pastor John Bates will officiate. Visitation will begin at 9:30am Saturday until the time of service. Interment with military honors will be at Hillcrest Memory Gardens in rural Morton.