Robert O. Gisler, 77, husband of Pat Gisler passed away on Saturday, January 17, 2026, in Nicholasville, KY. He was born on November 09, 1948, in Danville, KY to the late Robert and Mary B. Gisler. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Robert served with distinction in the Vietnam War and was decorated with both the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.  Starting as a farmer and later working as a truck driver, Robert eventually pivoted to healthcare, serving as a nurse for Recovery Works in Georgetown, Kentucky.  A member of Tabernacle Baptist Church, Robert had a passion for hunting and a genuine love for life. He and Pat later moved to Belize, where they spent a wonderful retirement together. 

He was survived by his wife of 55 years Pat Gisler, Nicholasville, KY; his daughter, Engle (Donald) Mullins, Georgetown, KY; grandchildren, Peyton Mullins and Chase (Savanna) Mullins; great-grandchildren, Cannon Rainwater and Carleigh Jo Rainwater; one brother, Michael (Tina) Gisler, Simpsonville, KY.   

A gathering of family and friends will be 11am-12pm Monday, February 2, 2026, at Clark Legacy Center- Brannon Crossing followed by a celebration of life service at 12pm.  Graveside service at 1:30pm with military honors to follow at Camp Nelson National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Bluegrass Care Navigators. 

One of my very favorite people in the world was a “Purple heart Veteran”. When I met him he’d already felt the ravages of the Vietnam on his body. The effects of tromping through a jungle saturated with Agent Orange had long since begun taking its deadly toll. He would sit in his recliner with a tiny grin and tell me stories of a blonde haired boy who ran barefoot through the cornfields. That same mischievous boy who never forgot the 3rd grade teacher that spit on him whenever she spoke. There were stories of his unit sleeping among the thick jungle foliage with a hand on their gun. Stories of watching friends and fellow soldiers succumb to the hatred and brutality of war. Of life in a Japanese hospital that instilled within him a desire to heal. Of coming home to that special girl from the gas station. Of that little daughter who was as quietly stubborn as her daddy. He was an encyclopedia of knowledge: Tractors, Bolivian boars, house renovations. I am truly convinced that there wasn’t anything he didn’t know. He was a man with gentle strength and quiet humor. Over time I began to refer to him as “my Purple Heart veteran who would always be a Purple Heart” . You see, a Purple Heart isn’t about heroics. It’s about the sacrifice. A Purple Heart will always cost something. Among our veterans it is the most solemn of honors. They know there was a price that was paid. It wasn’t about the glory or honor. It was about the sacrifice. A sacrifice that had to be given so that another could be saved. 

We often stop and consider the ultimate Purple Heart sacrifice that Christ made for us- although maybe not as often as we should. But what does it mean for us to live out a Purple Heart life for those around us? Do we step into the fray of battle knowing there may be a price to pay? Do we hesitate as those around us are losing ground?  The battles waged in war may last hours, days or sometimes even months. There is no true rest as long as the enemy is still holding his line. As I reflect upon the courage that my vet displayed - and so many men and women throughout history- I ask God for the strength to “live to fight another day”. The darkness of Hell’s forces are threatening to consume the lives of those we hold dear- of all mankind. May I be willing to give up the comfortable so that they may live. May I consider the scars a worthy sacrifice. My veteran bore the scars from his battles. In the end, they were what ultimately took his life. Will I reach my last breath and be able to say that I went back for just one more- because it was worth it. By: Julie Howard, care giver helper.