Visitation will be from 6 to 7:30 P. M. Sunday May 17, 2020 at Robert Toale & Sons Funeral
Home, 170 Honore Ave. Sarasota with private burial to follow in Palms Memorial Park. In consideration of the current public health concerns the service will be live-streamed on facebook.
Born August 12, 1926, in Logan, Ohio, Bob was the eldest son of Robert W. and Gladys (Higgins) Bateman.
Bob graduated Logan High School in 1944 and was later that year married to his high school sweetheart JoAnne Adcock. A member of what has been called “the Greatest Generation” Bob enlisted in the United States Navy in the last years of WWII where he served as a gyro compass operator and was awarded American Theater and Victory Medals for his service in and around the United States, mustering out of service May 1946. Bob and JoAnne had started there family and by December of 46’ welcomed their first child into the world. They went on to have four children in Logan, OH.
Bob worked a succession of jobs in and around Hocking County, Ohio until gaining employment at North American Aviation, in Columbus, OH specializing in military aircraft. He soon became involved in the UAW local there and by 1962 had been elected to the presidency of his local of some 7000 workers.
Bob and JoAnne had, by this time, moved to Columbus, OH where Jo Anne was a homemaker and Bob was offered a position as Organizing Representative with UAW International Union. He was a UAW organizer for the rest of his working career, always thinking about and helping those with less. He taught us all to be good to everyone. “He was the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back, if you needed it.”
Bob and JoAnne retired to Sarasota in 1987 where they enjoyed their “golden years” right next door to beloved family, Aunt Lee and Uncle Dick. They often formed up their little RV convoy and toured the United States. They eventually visited all 49 of the continental United States.
In later years He took charge of the loving care for JoAnne whose years of asthma had left her debilitated until her eventual passing in 2010.
Robert Bateman is survived by; his four children,
Kathy Boley, Robert B. Bateman, Vaughn (Judy) Bateman and Kurt (Susie)
Bateman; sister-in-law Martha (Floyd) Gibbs, grandchildren Todd Boley, Tricia Boley,
Adrian Bateman, Christine (Kevin) Patteri, Sean (Amy) Bateman, Ian
Bateman and Russell Bateman; six great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
Funeral Service will be livestreamed on Sunday May 17th at 7pm on Robert Toale & sons Funereal Home Facebook page URL is https://www.facebook.com/RobertToaleAndSons/
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