Robert Albert 'Bob' Renicke II, 73, stepped into his heavenly home and met Jesus at 8:06 p.m., Wednesday, October 9, 2019 at his home in Jerseyville with his family by his side.
He was born on September 1, 1946 in Saint Louis, Missouri to Robert Albert and Wanda Leatric (Gibbs) Renicke and grew up in Granite City, where he graduated with the class of 1964 from Granite City High School.
Bob served our country honorably for six years with the United States Navy during the Vietnam era.
He married the former Patricia Backus on July 12, 1969 in her hometown of Oval, PA and together they had recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Shortly after their marriage, they relocated to Granite City where Bob owned a residential wallpaper and painting business and worked as a welder for American Steel in Granite City. He then went on to work a Maintenance Technician for both Anderson Hospital in Maryville, while residing in Alton. He ended his working career at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in Saint Louis, MO as a Maintenance Technician, and Bob and Pat have resided in Jerseyville for the past 20 years.
Bob humbly served his Lord and Savior as a Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, Music Director and outreach ministry in Granite City, Alton and Jerseyville. In addition, Bob and Pat started the bread ministry while members of the former First Southern Baptist Church of Jerseyville, along with various other outreach programs and volunteer efforts. With his faith as his backbone, and the gift of his positive, Bob faced many challenges throughout his life including multiple surgeries, amputations, three battles with cancer in 2008 and once again in 2011 and 2016 and most recently his fight with end stage renal and kidney failure for the past 10 years.
Bob had a remarkable sense of humor and enjoyed telling jokes, watching John Wayne films, following his favorite sports team, The Pittsburgh Steelers, and treasured time spent with his family. He will be fondly remembered by his family and friends alike, for his kind and generous soul.
The Renicke family would like to extend special acknowledgement to Dave, his VA nurse; Illinois Valley Rural Transit girls; DaVita Dialysis girls; Terry Maurizio and the Bethel Baptist Men's Ministry; Bob's very special friend and driver, Terry Smith; and also Chaplain Joel Lohr and the nurses of BJC Hospice; Pastor Brent Meyer and the their church family at First Baptist Church of Jerseyville; and their loving daughter, Lisa Varble and grandchildren, Jeremy and Rebekah Schaaf; as well as a very special caregiver extraordinaire, Alexis Gilbert with the ADDUS Home Health Services-Litchfield.
Surviving are his wife, Pat Renicke; a loving daughter, Lisa Marie Schaaf Varble; two treasured grandchildren, Jeremy and Rebekah Schaaf, all of Jerseyville; a brother and sister in-law, Marc and Nancy Renicke of Annapolis, MO; a sister and brother in-law, Dana and Dennis Elledge of St Charles, MO; two brothers in-law and sisters in-law, Keith and Jill Backus of Pheonix, AZ and Rev. Dan and Pat Milheim of Williamsport, PA; numerous nieces and nephews as well as his loyal companion, their family dog, 'Tootsie'.
He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Albert Renicke; his mother and step-father, Wanda and Elvis 'Hap' Chandler; as well as his grandparents.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until time of funeral services at 1 p.m., Thursday, October 17, 2019 at the First Baptist Church in Jerseyville.
He will be laid to rest with Military Honors at 11 a.m., Friday at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Saint Louis, MO
Memorials may be given to First Baptist Church of Jerseyville; the American Kidney Foundation or to Kid's Shouldn't Have Cancer Foundation.
Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville has been entrusted with arrangements.
