Robert Gschaar

From September 11 Memories

Robert Joseph Gschaar (March 8, 1946 - September 11, 2001) was a victim of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. He was a 55-year-old resident of Spring Valley, New York, and worked as a Supervisor for Aon Corporation.

A Bronx native, Gschaar graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in 1964 and later received a BS in Business from Long Island University. An avid reader and life-long history buff, he studied the military histories of numerous cultures and was particularly interested in the American Civil War. Gschaar worked for numerous insurance companies throughout his working career, on July 7, 2001, after several years of moving about as a temporary underwriter, he was hired as a Supervisor with AON Corporation, working on the 92nd floor of World Trade Center Tower 2.

On September 11, 2001, shortly after the first plane struck Tower 1, Gschaar spoke to his wife, Myrta, over the phone and related that his building was fine, but that he was evacuating his team of 30 employees. "I'll call you as soon as I can," he told her.

At 9:02 AM, a second plane struck Tower 2 where Gschaar and his co-workers were in the process of vacating their offices. According to survivors from AON Corp, Gschaar was last seen somewhere between the 40th and 50th floors. Robert Gschaar was killed when Tower 2 collapsed at 9:59 AM; he was survived by his wife of 13 years, Myrta, four stepdaughters and four grandchildren.

A memorial mass was held at St. Anthony's Church in Nanuet, New York on October 4, 2001. In November 2004, Myrta Gschaar was notified that Rob's wallet and wedding ring had been found at the World Trade Center site; a short time later, Rob's remains were identified through DNA. Robert Gschaar will be interred in Oak Hill Cemetery in Nyack, New York on September 9, 2006 – nearly five years after his death.[1]