Robert Ronald Piragowski

FAYETTEVILLE - Retired Army Lt. Col. Robert R. Piragowski, 82, of Fayetteville, died Wednesday, June 22, 2011. He also was a retired civil service employee of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center on Fort Bragg. A veteran of the Korean, Dominican Republic and Vietnam conflicts, Lt. Col. Piragowski was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (Second Oak Leaf Cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the U.N. Korea Medal, the Army Meritorious Unit Citation, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation.

A graduate of North Carolina State University with master's and doctoral degrees in education, Dr. Piragowski is survived by a daughter, Barbara Ann of the home; and a sister, Irene L. Buehrle of East Brunswick, N.J. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lisa.

Funeral services are being handled by Sullivan's Highland Funeral Service & Crematory of Fayetteville. The service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 25, 2011, in Holy Trinity Episcopal Church on Raeford Road by the Rev. Raymond F. Brown. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina, 2113 Cameron St., No. 242, Raleigh, NC 27605; Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 1601 Raeford Road, Fayetteville, NC 28305; or to a favorite charity.