Submitted by: Dan Rich
Robert Anthony Pedtke
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.