Submitted by: Dan Rich

 

Robert Anthony Pedtke

June 14, 1951 - Nov.21, 2007

 

South Bend TRibune 11/25/2007 (Excerpts)
SOUTH BEND - Lt Col (USAF- ret) Robert Anthony Pedtke, 56, of South Bend, died suddenly on Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2007, from a massive stroke, at Memorial Hospital, with the love of his life, Charlene Hollars, at his side. Bob was born on June 14, 1951, in South Bend, to Daniel H. and Helen (Melinski) Pedtke (both deceased). Bob was a superior student, winning honors in every level of school. He graduated in the top ten percent of his high school class, receiving a state scholarship and faculty grant to Notre Dame. Throughout his years of education, he earned two bachelor's degrees at Notre Dame, in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and two master's degrees, in economics at Embry Riddle Univ. in New York, and in education at Old Dominion College in Virginia. Bob's love of teaching began with fifth-grade catechism classes while still in high school, and later he was promoted to teaching all grades for confirmation. While at Notre Dame, he spent his summers teaching Math and Physics in an Upward Bound program in inter-city Indianapolis, becoming the chair of the Math department in his fourth summer. Nearly everywhere he lived, he taught either at church or at work.

 

Early on Bob developed a passion for flying, after a birthday gift of lessons from his mother. He took more lessons on his own and while at Notre Dame he earned his commission in the Air Force through ROTC. In the Air Force, he was a fighter pilot par excellence and flew a number of different Air Force planes, among them O-2s, F-4s, F-106s and F-16s. He even worked off-duty as an instructor in the Aero Club. His career in the Air Force included more than flying. He was an accident investigator, and taught those skills to other AF personnel; in Korea, he served in the Operations Exercises branch where he planned and organized the joint US-Korea military exercises to train and evaluate operations personnel; he did status briefings for Generals and occasionally the President of the United States. He retired in 1995 as a Lieutenant Colonel after 22 years with the Air Force and over 3000 hours of flying.

 

Bob grew up in a musical family. He started out singing with his family, and in the boys' choir at Christ the King. As a very young boy he was invited by the CSC brothers to sing the starring role in their musical presentation of St. Exupery's The Little Prince, and did a beautiful job of it. While in college he learned to play the guitar and eventually led a teen choir at Christ the King. He sang in the Notre Dame Glee Club, directed by his father, and later he sang in church choirs in several of the places he worked. Bob's rich baritone voice could bring you to tears when he did Today or Jehovah Hallelujah singing with his guitar. Since his return to South Bend after retiring, he has sung in the Notre Dame Basilica community choir and with the choir at St. Joseph's parish in South Bend. Bob was happiest when he was making people happy. He liked to give people a good time. He was always setting up family outings, renting a tall ship for a family tour in Norfolk Harbor to celebrate his retirement, reserving a box at Covaleski Park for a group of family and friends to watch the Silver Hawks play and enjoy the 4th of July fireworks after the game. At the turn of the millennium he singlehandedly put on a huge family dinner, cooking the meal himself (he was also a gourmet cook and connoisseur of good wines), and even providing a string quartet to play during dinner. He was always generous with his time, money and talents. He was a wonderful sense of humor, always making jokes. A kid at heart, one of his favorite places to visit was Disneyland, while at the same time he was a serious thinker, read extensively the esoteric lore from ancient religions, and followed the political and economic scenes. In 2000 Bob returned to South Bend where his mother was still living.

 

Shortly afterwards he reencountered a friend from his college days, Charlene Hollars, who turned out to be the love of his life. They were engaged to be married when Bob unexpectedly passed away. Charlene's family and myriad of small nieces and nephews came to love him as their jolly uncle. Bob is survived by his fiancé, Charlene Hollars; siblings Dorothy Pedtke of South Bend, William (Marlie) of Indianapolis, Theresa (Peter) Morris of Wixom, MI, and Daniel (Mary Lou Bolton) of Canonsburg, PA; several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. His sisters Mary Beth Wilson and Catherine Pedtke preceded him in death.

 

Well wishers may come to celebrate Bob's life at McGann Hay Funerals |Cremations | Gatherings, Granger Chapel, 13260 SR 23 (enter off Cherry Rd.), on Tuesday, Nov. 27, from 4 to 7 p.m., with a rosary to be said at 7. A funeral Mass will be celebrated in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame at 9:30 am on Wednesday, Nov. 28, with Fr. Peter Rocca, Rector, as celebrant.