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Line 24: − Of [[Czech Republic|Czech]] ancestry, Cespiva was one of seven children born to Frank and Josephine Cespiva, in Kolin, an unincorporated community in Rapides Parish, located seven miles southeast of Pineville. He graduated in 1942 from Bolton High School in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Louisiana, then the only high school for white students in Rapides Parish. After high school, he joined the [[U.S. Navy]] and served from 1942 to 1945 in [[World War II]]. He participated in seven invasions in the Pacific theater of operations, including [[Okinawa]] and the [[Philippines]]. [[U.S. President]] [[Harry Truman]] awarded him the [[Bronze Star]] after Cespiva saved the life of a downed pilot in the invasion of Saipan.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetowntalk/obituary.aspx?n=robert-frank-cespiva-bob&pid=193754034|title=Robert Cespiva obituary|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=August 28, 2019|accessdate=October 18, 2019}}</ref> +
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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name=Robert Frank "Bob" Cespiva<br>
| name=Robert Frank "Bob" Cespiva<br>
'''Robert Frank Cespiva,''' known as '''Bob Cespiva''' (December 6, 1925 – August 25, 2019), was a local [[politician]], [[educator]], and civic leader in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], [[Louisiana]].
'''Robert Frank Cespiva,''' known as '''Bob Cespiva''' (December 6, 1925 – August 25, 2019), was a local [[politician]], [[educator]], and civic leader in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], [[Louisiana]].
Of [[Czech Republic|Czech]] ancestry, Cespiva was one of seven children born to Frank and Josephine Cespiva, in Kolin, an unincorporated community in Rapides Parish, located seven miles southeast of Pineville. He graduated in 1942 from Bolton High School in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Louisiana, then the only high school for white students in Rapides Parish. After high school, he joined the [[U.S. Navy]] and served from 1942 to 1945 in [[World War II]]. He participated in seven invasions in the Pacific theater of operations, including [[Okinawa]] and the [[Philippines]]. [[U.S. President]] [[Harry Truman]] awarded him the [[Bronze Star]] after Cespiva saved the life of a downed pilot in the invasion of Saipan.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetowntalk/obituary.aspx?n=robert-frank-cespiva-bob&pid=193754034|title=Robert Cespiva obituary|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=August 28, 2019|accessdate=October 18, 2019}}</ref>
After the war, Cespiva enrolled at [[Louisiana College]] in Pineville, from which he received his Bachelor of Arts degree. Thereafter, he obtained his Master's plus 30 additional credits from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]]. He taught school at Oakdale in Allen Parish and [[rural] Buckeye in eastern Rapides Parish. He became an assistant principal and coach at Pineville Elementary School and then a lengthy tenure as assistant principal at Pineville High School. In 1984, he retired as the first principal at J. I. Barron Elementary School. He had an accumulated forty-one years in the education field. During this period, he also served on the Central Louisiana Football Association and was a former president of the Pineville Lions International.<ref name=obit/>
After the war, Cespiva enrolled at [[Louisiana College]] in Pineville, from which he received his Bachelor of Arts degree. Thereafter, he obtained his Master's plus 30 additional credits from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]]. He taught school at Oakdale in Allen Parish and [[rural] Buckeye in eastern Rapides Parish. He became an assistant principal and coach at Pineville Elementary School and then a lengthy tenure as assistant principal at Pineville High School. In 1984, he retired as the first principal at J. I. Barron Elementary School. He had an accumulated forty-one years in the education field. During this period, he also served on the Central Louisiana Football Association and was a former president of the Pineville Lions International.<ref name=obit/>