Sunday morning, Dec. 31, 2006, New Year’s Eve – My mother called with the shocking news that my Uncle Bob had died. We had just spent time with him on Christmas Eve morning at church. I had taken a picture of him on Christmas Eve with the gift of a #20 Tony Stewart candy stocking I had bought for him. He was tickled to get it – he was such a fan of Stewart. Uncle Bob was such a kid at heart. I had the privilege of growing up next to their place. He loved his girls and all the neighborhood kids. He had a special way about him that made you feel good. He was always playful and happy. He would wrestle with the boys and tickled everyone. He was an amazing engineer with such a mechanical mind. He was always tinkering with some new invention. When we were younger, we played on the unique playground equipment he had constructed out of steel. Johnsons had the coolest things to play on – from the trolley to just the junk cars out back. I’ll never forget the fire that burned their house down and walking through trying to find anything that wasn’t lost. I remember playing and coloring in those huge color books in our basement with Kelly and Kerry while they stayed with us after the fire. I also remember the excitement of their new home – all that stylish shag from purple and pink to the rust color in the sunken living room. Bob could be found smoking his pipe, sitting in his bean bag chair in front of the television watching football. But he would always stop watching long enough to give a playful head rub to the “neighbor kid.” He had many rough years early on in his business career – almost filing bankruptcy, but he never gave up on his dreams. It was so exciting going out to the huge shop with the smell of steel and grease. It was all so exicting back then, and who knew it would become such a huge deal? Bob did. Over his lifetime, he grew a huge corporation that supported not only his family, but too many others to count. He was always so generous. He was always willing to help out someone who was willing to help themselves. He understood how it was to need someone to just give you that little boost to get you through a rough spot – be it financially, or borrowing something, or helping you to build something. With all his resources, he was generous, but he above all respected hard work. He was a bit of a procrastinator and slow going, but I think that comes with an easygoing man as he was, and also with all the things he had buzzing in his brain, figuring out how to get his thoughts out of his head and into working machinery. The way his mind worked was nothing short of amazing. If he thought it – it could be done. He was the ideal family man to his wife of 40 some years, Elaine. To his three daughters Kelly, Kerry and Kristy, and son-in-laws Donnie, Skipper and Tommy, there was nothing he wouldn’t give. His grandchildren meant the world to him and he was an unbelievable grandpa. He adored his grandchildren and the best thing he ever gave them was his time. On my wedding day, he gave this piece of advice: “Take the best of the day … and throw the rest away.” He really seemed to live by that philosophy. He was such a wise man. Bob was my dad’s best friend for almost 60 years. They did a lot of playing together over the years – from their antics on motorcycles, numerous trips, to their love of Nascar. They were always there to lend a caring ear to each other. They were truly brothers at heart. My father’s best man to the day he died. He will be sadly missed. He was a great man. I will always remember him with fondness. I will miss him and his chuckle and his playful smile dearly. I love you, Uncle Bob. Your niece and neighbor kid, Vanessa Schlueter
