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As Katie has mentioned, we’ve been taking this photo for at least 25 years. This is from the girls’ senior prom in spring 1999. Bob called this his “thorn among the roses” picture. Brittany said it best: it’s Bob’s “sunshine among the roses” photo. We’ll all miss you, Bob!

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We’ve always loved coming to the lake each August! Last year we brought our dog with us, and she immediately loved Bob. Even our dog could see how special of a person he was! We feel very grateful for the memories we made!

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Bob-O was amazed that I could prepare an entire meal of macaroni and cheese in his kitchen without asking where any of the pots, pans or utensils were. One of my favorite memories of him.

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Whenever me and Leah were at grandpas house we would sometimes get donuts for breakfast and we would call papa the donut fairy

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Going out to the cabin and hearing Bob's stories of his woodworking

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When Bob was ill and death was imminent, Katie asked me if I would say a few words about him upon his passing. Immediately, I agreed. Honored to have been tasked with something so important. And overwhelmed, because where do you start with someone like Bob. Someone who's in almost all the memories of your formative years. Katie and I have been friends for going on 32 years. Bob has been teaching me about life for 32 years. When I sat down to write this, my young son had some words of wisdom for me, he said mom, just say it all, just let the feelings out. But there's no way I could say it all, I can't even remember it all.

Bob never met a stranger. And he somehow remembered everyone he ever met. That's probably why to know Bob was to know what it was to be loved. When Neill and I were first on her own, we had a small apartment in South City, at the corner of Alabama and Fillmore. One morning, a weekend morning I believe, but Neill wasn't home, Katie called me. She and her dad had run out of gas on highway 55 and it was like they parked at the end of my street, on the shoulder of the highway. They were in his old green Saturn. But that's their story, you can ask Katie about it. And asked if I would give him a lift to the gas station if they hopped the fence and walked over to my apartment. Of course! The next question was do you have a gas can? I have absolutely no idea. So while I was getting ready to take them up to the gas station and drive them back around to the car, Bob knocked on the on my neighbor's door. Now we are talking 20 some odd years ago, and this gentleman was elderly then, well past his own retirement. Does it surprise anyone in this room that he was a former coworker of Bob's? That Bob knew his whole life story? And that he was immediately granted a gas can and kind words? I bet it doesn't. That's just Bob.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Bob was the biggest cheerleader anyone could have. If you knew him, you know his clap and his laugh, the soundtrack to his loving spirit. A clap that would ring your ears. A clap that you could hear from the track, or from the field, or from the stage, or as you took your first kiss as husband and wife. A soundtrack he passed on to his children. A clap and spirit that none of them can contain, and we wouldn't want them to.

Anytime the four of us girls were together and Bob was around, we would take a picture with him. Katie, Sarah, Julie, and myself, with Bob in the middle. He called it his thorn amongst the roses picture. That's not what it was. He wasn't our thorn, he was our sunshine. He gave us what we needed to grow and become who we are meant to be. He was that for everyone here, I'm sure.

We love you, Bob. Your time here was too short but your love will live on in each of us. Rest in Peace, your work here is done.

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During spring break, Bob-O and Nancy would take me Gavin, Leah , Matalyn and Rose to Panera for breakfast. We each got to pick a bagel and cream cheese and we all sat around one table and played on their iPads.

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The first time I met Uncle Bob he took me to one of his favorite lunch spots. Let’s just say this place was probably more known for the waitresses and their outfits than the food itself. Instantly knew I was going to like this guy!

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I always remember every time we went to the lake Bob-O would hide the key in a new place and send us out on a scavenger hunt for it! It was always so fun and such an exciting way to start the lake day!

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I loved getting to visit the cabin and some of my favorite memories are from when Bob took me with him in the speed boat!

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Many of my fav Uncle Bob memories were at the Lake! His boat tours were the best, especially when we could drive the boat!

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Uncle Bob never left a partially eaten Ted Drewes treat amongst the group, and no one would be surprised to find him back in line after the first round!

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The only song I have ever heard Dad play all the way through on the harmonica is taps ... which he would play every time we flushed one of our dead fish down the toilet!