Bob was born on his parents’ farm in Walthill, Nebraska in the summer of 1935. He worked on that farm many summers and for his dad at his implement shop as well as other ventures. Bob always claimed he wasn’t a great student, but he was the tallest guy in Walthill, so was a star on the basketball team. He even went on to play at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln his freshman year, on a full ride scholarship. Bob joined the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at the U of N where he made dozens of lifelong friends and a myriad of lifetime memories. It was the time of his life. Bob graduated in 1958 with a degree in Business and headed to California. But when he and his friend Art McManigal arrived in Denver, they decided to stay. Bob was hired by CF&I and moved into the basement of a house where Adele and her roommates lived upstairs. It was love at first site. Bob and Adele were married on December 7, 1959 in Central City. They had to go to a spot where it wouldn’t be in the Denver papers because “stewardesses” were not allowed to get married in those days. They were married for 60 years. Bob joined the United States Air Force Reserves in 1961 during the Berlin Conflict and was an Airman 2nd Class with the 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron stationed at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado. When their first child, Karen was born, Bob took a job with Noffsinger Manufacturing Company and moved his small family to Greeley, where Brad was born four years later. His favorite spot on Earth was the Mace Cabin where he loved to go fishing. It was a ranch house on one of the Noffsinger ranches near Walden, Colorado. Over the years, Bob distinguished himself in the Greeley community as a good businessman, great friend and neighbor, and a caring landlord. He and Jim Langenberg began accumulating rental properties in the early seventies. He was such a kind and caring landlord that his properties were continually rented simply by word of mouth from previous renters. Bob always made time for his kids, getting Karen to all of her Trail Duster practices and rodeos and taking Brad duck and pheasant hunting, and on lots of fishing excursions. He loved gathering groups for his annual fishing trip to the Thompson Resort in La Ronge, Saskatchewan, Canada. Bob was a wonderful grandfather. Some of his favorite times were taking his kids and grandkids to Mazatlan, Mexico where a burger by the pool was his idea of heaven. His grandkids thrived being around him because they knew how much they were loved. He was patient and kind and had a dry sense of humor that would sneak up on us. He was that way until the day he died. Bob Benter was a truly good man, and he will forever be missed.
He is survived by his son, Brad (Michelle) Benter, of Anchorage Alaska, and his daughter, Karen (Joe) Zadkovic, of Fort Collins, Colorado, his grandchildren, Colton and Olivia Zadkovic, and Camden and Sadie Benter, and a brother, Richard Benter.
Bob is preceded in death by his wife, Adele, his parents, Dale and Lula, and a sister Bette Martin.
A Memorial Service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of Greeley. Please visit www.allnuttgreeley.com to send condolences to the family.
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