Robert ”Bob" Frederick Gertenbach left us too soon, after a hard fought battle against cancer. He passed away just after his 50th wedding anniversary to the love of his life, Kathryn ”Kathi” Lynn (Becker). Bob touched many people over his life, and in the weeks before his passing, family and friends came from near and far to say goodbye. Listening to the conversations, it was not unusual to hear he was my best friend, my favorite uncle, the best boss. Bob was born in Bridgeport, CT December 9, 1944 and was preceded in death by his daughter, Cynthia; son, Daniel; mother Jennie (Mair); father George Richard Gertenbach; and brother Doug McLaughlin. Bob is survived by his wife, Kathi; two sons, Rick and Tom; grandson, Derrick and his sister, Jean (Jack Sperling) and brother George (Pattie). Bob joined the US Air Force immediately after graduating from Masuk High School in Monroe, CT, and was assigned to McCoy Air Force Base in Orlando, FL. As the leader of his family, after his father died prematurely, Bob moved his family (mother, little sister and brother) to Orlando in 1963. While in the Air Force, Bob met his life-long friends, Bill LaMirande and Jerry Angley through Bill’s parents, Joe and Audrey, who “adopted Bob”. As Jerry put it, they were lucky that Bob met Kathi, Bill met Karen and Jerry met Pat, because as young men they had many good times and escapades together. Legend has it that one of the first times Bob saw Kathi, he turned to Jerry and said that is the girl he was going to marry. And so it transpired about three years later, when on February 17, 1968, Bob and Kathi got married in Pinecastle Methodist Church, and honeymooned in Panama City. After the USAF, Bob worked at Kennedy Space Center, and in 1975 joined the Martin Brower Company, where he worked for over 20 years, starting with the McDonald’s Division, and working his way to the Distribution Center Manager of the National Accounts Division in Orlando. In 1976, he and his family were transferred for two years to Chicago, IL. By the time Bob and Kathi, with two Florida-born toddlers in tow, moved to Chicago, they had both been in Florida for decades and the northern climate was a challenge. After retiring from Martin—Brower, Bob took on a new career — as a bus driver at Walt Disney World where he worked for about 10 years before retiring due to health reasons. Even as a bus driver he made an impression. During an emergency hospital stay after he retired, Bob was being seen by a heart specialist, who looked at him and asked if he
ever drove a bus at Disney. She remembered riding a bus that he was driving. There are hundreds of funny and heartwarming stories to share about Bob. With his sense of humor, calm demeanor
and generous heart, he made and stayed fast friends with everyone he met. As a result, Bob and Kathi’s “extended family” includes everyone from the farmer he worked for in high school in Connecticut to the children of the siblings of his in-laws, one of whom wrote to Bob, on hearing of his illness "I know we have joked that you have nine lives but that is just a huge indication that you have an important purpose. I guess we never really know what our purpose is but you’ve served an amazing purpose in my life.” Everyone who knew him probably can say something very similar. Bill and Jerry's children called him ”Uncle Bob”, as did almost any child that met him —- kids loved him. There are several Bob the yard guy stories. As the older brother, and to some extent, father figure for his brother, George, who is 10 years younger, Bob taught George a lot of things: how to wash and wax the car, how to dig a septic
field, and how to mow and edge the lawn and weed under the citrus trees. Kathi recalls that when they bought their first home, Bob and Kathi shared the yard care, but in a short time, it was left to Kathi. However, when Bob retired, he started taking over some of the yard work, including edging along the sidewalk. Well, Bob started edging in front of his house, then one neighbor, then a little further until he edged the whole block. Bob, Jerry, and Bill had that "need for speed". One of Bob’s first cars was a 1967 Dodge RT 440 Magnum 4 speed factory car that did 150 mph. George is amazed how Bob always drug his little brother with him everywhere — fishing, space launches at KSC, car races. Albeit Bob would not always PAY for George to get into the races. Sometimes Bob, Jerry, and Bill would stuff George under firewood and sleeping bags in the trunk, and George would just hope they remembered he was in the trunk. His sister, Jean, two years younger, could tell a lot of stories. They and their cousins lived very close in Connecticut and were best of friends. One trait all who knew Bob could attest to, is that he did not like to get up early. One day,when Bob was in the USAF, Jean gave up trying to wake him up, so she soaked a towel in ice cold water, and threw it on him. She then ran like crazy out the front door. She knew he could not go after her out the door because he always slept in his underwear. When their grandson, Derrick was ten years old, Bob and Kathi took on the responsibility of raising him. Derrick has said on many occasions how "overwhelmingly" grateful he is that Bob and Kathi opened their home to him and taught him life—long lessons such as always treating people with kindness, love and respect. And at 22 years old, he is living those lessons every day. Memorial donations may be made to Orlando Health Foundation Cardiology, 3160 S. Gate Commerce Blvd.Suite 50, Orlando, FL 32806
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