Robert "Bob" Jay Hultgren

Bob was born on January 6, 1954, in Chicago, IL to Robert Karl and Shirley Jean Hultgren. The oldest of five children, “Bobby” and his parents packed up the Packard convertible and moved to Los Angeles in 1955. His father eventually found work at Hughes Aircraft.

In 1959, that job took the family from LA to Alamogordo, NM - where Bob spent the majority of his childhood. He was a starting quarterback for Alamogordo High School, a guard on the basketball team, and a key member of the golf team.

In 1970, Hughes sent the Hultgren family packing again, this time for San Antonio, TX where Bob enrolled at John Marshall High School. Soon after arriving in San Antonio, a lawnmower accident cost him ⅓ of his ring finger and his football career, so Bob shifted his focus to golf and, soon after, to a sophomore named Joyce Rogers.

Upon graduation Bob left for Denton with hopes to play golf for North Texas State. He loved the game, and was incredibly talented, but his true calling was the girl he left in San Antonio.

In 1974, Bob returned home and Joyce once again heard the familiar sound of The Moody Blues blaring from a VW Bug, as it turned the corner onto her parent’s street. He and Joyce were married that summer at the ages of 20 and 18 respectively.

Not long after, Bob began work at Satel’s Men’s Clothing Store - eventually becoming the manager of their Central Park Mall location. Bob worked for Satel’s for 18 years - keeping San Antonio looking sharp and passing the time with his good friend Chris Casseb (“Jake” to his “Elwood.”)

The Central Park Mall store closed in 1990, prompting Bob to make a complete career change. He returned to college and, at the age of 40, received his Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from The University of Texas at San Antonio and, shortly thereafter, his nursing home administrator’s license.

He worked as an administrator for Living Centers before becoming the executive director at Morningside Manor in 1998. He held this position until his retirement in 2013 - shortly after his diagnosis of Parkinson’s with Dementia.

Bob was also a founding member of Northwest Hills Christian Church in San Antonio - where he taught Sunday school and held various leadership positions.

In 2017, Bob and Joyce left the city they’d called home for more than 45 years and moved to Northwest Arkansas. Bob did not let his disabilities hold him back and made many new friends. He was encouraged by the support of the men in his weekly Bible Study at Prairie Grove Christian Church.

Throughout his life Bob loved working in his yard, going to concerts with Joyce (including Springsteen, Jackson Browne, & Elton John multiple times) grilling in his old Weber charcoal grill, Friday night football at Northside Stadium, antique stores and flea markets, and watching the Spurs.

Special places for him included Cloudcroft, NM, the Texas Hill Country, Port Aransas, and Medina Lake - where he spent many happy weekends in the 1970’s skiing behind the Hultgren family boat.

Later in life, Bob’s trips took him further afield to visit his children and grandchildren in Brooklyn, Champaign, Milwaukee, Woodstock, and Monticello, IL.

A man of principles, Bob was kind, humble, faithful, resilient, and a steady/calming presence. He was a devoted husband, a loving father, and a beloved grandfather. He was also a respected colleague, a leader, and a big brother to be counted on.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years Joyce, son Brian (Catherine Lewis) and daughter Margaret Stewart (Tyler); grandchildren Charlotte, Henry, Graham, Magnolia, Banks, and Mills; sisters Jo Anne and Susan Reyes (Jesse), and brother Mike (Cheryl); nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his brother Tommy and their parents.

He will be dearly missed by the many who knew and loved him.

A memorial service will be held Friday, June 20th at 4pm at Sunset Memorial Park & Funeral Home (1701 Austin Hwy, San Antonio). In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Parkinson’s Foundation.