Robert T. Sublette, Sr. – circa 1951
Robert Thomas Sublette was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee August 5, 1937 at home, to Lillian Benjamin (1900) and Frank Ellis Sublette (1897). His own birth being a bill that he would continue to pay off for many years to come. The family moved to Chicago in the early 1940’s and lived at 3010 W. Fulton Blvd. His Dad worked for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad as a Redcap along with his part time jobs as a chauffeur and chef at Northwestern University in Evanston. His mother was always in demand for her domestic expertise along the Northshore of Chicago. Bob has an older sister, Gwendolyn Ellis, had an older brother, Frank Ellis, and had a younger sister, Sarah Kate.
Bob attended the Beidler Grammar School and was its first African American student; he was recruited by his peers for the track and baseball teams. His favorite teacher and later, Principal – Ellen Stack first welcomed him to the school and followed his educational career. He then attended and graduated from Crane Technical High School (all boys) in 1956. He recalls having access to an array of resources including wood shop and the foundry. It was this environment where he learned how to change oil and spark plugs, make lamps, and a operate a generator. These skills would prepare him later for his time in the military. It was also at this time that he joined the R.O.T.C.
Hearing the hail of the bugle at his Church at 50th and Wabash, Bob developed an immediate sense of calling to Scouting. He became a Cub Scout in Pack 3534 sponsored by St. Mark United Methodist Church (1947-1948); his love of Scouting blossomed under his Den Mother, Mrs. Floy Burdette who served in that role for over 30 years. He first expressed interest in Boy Scouts around the age of 9 but was not old enough yet; instead he was recruited to be the troop mascot and with the Bugle Corp participated in multiple parades and other community events such as the Bud Billiken Parade. He has many fond memories of Scoutmaster Leonard Otto Lee (a chemist by trade who worked at the Wilson Labs adjacent to the stockyards). Mr. Lee was a bit of a disciplinarian. “His presence would get you to straighten up and fly right”, but he did supply the troop with ample amounts of formaldehyde so they were able to preserve the many snakes they caught while on camping trips and other outings. Troop 534 continues to honor the impact of Mr. Lee today with the “Otto” patrol named in his honor.
Bob first attended Owasippe at Camp Blackhawk in 1950 leaving by train from Chicago with a special Scout discount ticket costing the princely sum of $25.00. “It was new, exciting, and scary.” He and his peers are to be recognized as the creators of the call, “Camp Blackhawk, GO!” and “Troop 534, HEY!” He recalls memories of Scouting in the South Central, DuSable, and Midway Districts. He would go on to have extraordinary experiences with friends and inspire countless numbers of Scouts to reach their potential in life. Bob reached the rank of Life Scout and like many of his peers did not make Eagle because he could not swim.
The September following high graduation, Bob enlisted in the Air Force, attending boot camp at Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio, TX, and then being transferred to Forbes Air Force base in Topeka, KS where he worked on B-47 bombers. Bob did the mechanical and maintenance work on the generators, compressors, and heater units that kept the ground crews up and running servicing these aircraft. He served for four years active duty, two years as a reservist, and two years on standby, finishing his tour as an Airman 2nd Class. During his time in Kansas, Bob was enlisted by the local Boy Scout Council to serve as a rifle instructor for their summer camp – Camp Jayhawk in Oskaloosa, KS.
Bob was inducted into Ordeal membership on July 25, 1952 at Owasippe. The following year he sealed his ties in the Order with the Brotherhood Honor on October 10, 1953. He reached the pinnacle of his Order of the Arrow experience with the Vigil Honor on August 13, 1961 at Owasippe, recalling the beautiful warm and starry night. He considers his Vigil Honor name Mboiwi Wuschgink or “Dead Eye”, a fitting honor for his marksmanship skills.
He has reached multiple milestones in his Scouting leadership career including earning the Eagle Scout Association Scoutmaster Award for producing the most Eagle Scouts in the region, thirty-five at one point. He was affectionately named “The Great Scoutmaster” by a scout’s parent, Mr. Clarence Collins whose grandson Kevin Sharif was a Scout in the Troop. Undoubtedly, the robust Scouting program he implemented which incorporated various family, charter organization, and community components maximized the impact of the program. For example, it was his charisma and spirit that gathered 42 youth members and 7 adult leaders to attend the National Jamboree in Idaho in 1973; Bob recalls a special visitor to the Jamboree Troop’s Campsite – John Cardinal Cody the Catholic Archbishop of Chicago. In terms of the Order of the Arrow, Bob served as the Advisor of Matoka Chapter for four years; Matoka was formed from Takodah Chapter. Even today, he continues to attend troop meetings, serve as the Historian, and support the boys of Troop 534 (Hey!).
Alongside Bob, one will often find his childhood friend Norville Carter. Throughout the years they have served as a source of encouragement for each another. Similarly, he and Norville recruited another local friend, Ron Temple, to join their Scouting unit. Their friendships continue to this day in their frequent social gatherings for Scouting discussions over lunch.
Bob worked as a police officer at Northwestern University, Evanston Campus, for 16 years, along with a multitude of other jobs including chauffeur and caretaker until his well-deserved retirement.
Robert Sublette married Jessie Sublette on January 30, 1965 having met through a mutual friend. They became proud parents to Robert T. Sublette Jr. and Germaine Rosalyn Sublette. They have one grand-daughter Dominique.
In considering his long and rich career in Scouting and as a Vigil Member, Bob recommends the program highly to young people. “You have everything and everyone to work with. It is these skills and people that will make a difference in your life.”
Robert T. Sublette, Sr. – circa 2016