Robert Emmett was the youngest of seven children born to the late James and Lucy (Kennedy) McGovern. As a youngster, Bob grew up in his beloved Toytown area of North Towanda, swimming in the Susquehanna and being fascinated with the railroad that ran through the little community where his father worked.
He attended the Towanda Schools and at the age of 17 joined the war effort just before graduating in 1945. Bob, a very humble man, was extremely proud to be a WWII Navy Veteran. He served on the USS Indiana Battleship and was part of the first ship of three to bombard homeland Japan.
After the war, Bob returned home to Towanda and later began employment with Penelec in 1959. It was there he became a talented electrician and would spend over 30 years serving as a devoted lineman, until his retirement in 1990. In earlier years, Bob and his wife Ellen moved to Canton to make their home. He can be remembered as having his own Barber Shop in his home, which he operated nights after work as well as weekends. Bob was a very likable man and served as a bartender for the former Lantern Tavern in Canton for several years.