Robert ‘Bob’ Joseph Riedner
Our Papa, Robert J. Riedner passed away on June 3, 2022, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He was a wonderful grandfather. He read to us, played games with us and saved his best smiles for us. He was our Papa, and we will miss him dearly! Love from, Züri, Claire, and Spider (Grandchildren).
Robert was born in Durand, Wisconsin, in the fall of 1944. His childhood was pretty idyllic! He grew up near the Chippewa and Mississippi Rivers. He and his boyhood friends even made a raft, thinking they were Huck Finns, and floated down one of those rivers.
As a teenager, he worked picking beans for the local canning factory, worked at a funeral parlor, and was part of a road crew. He attended and worked at Marquette University for 13 years. He spent two semesters working at McDonald Douglas in St. Louis, Missouri. They were in the process of building their phantom jet at that time. Bob eventually earned his PhD. By that time, he had married Betty and had two children, Bobbie and Brady.
Robert worked at Cuneo Press and Outboard Marine, both in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1981 he started work at GE Medical Systems. He was one of the material scientists who helped develop their CAT (CT) Scans. His family was very proud of Robert, for all the work he did there for over twenty-five years.
Robert retired from GE in 2006. At that time, Bob and Betty bought an RV. It was then that their traveling adventures began. They visited many state parks and even got to see the LAST night launch of the shuttle program from Cape Canaveral in 2010. That was one of the only things left on Bob's bucket list!
Bob loved to fish, golf, play tennis, downhill and cross-country ski, bike, hike, and read. Pickleball was his newest sport. No matter what sport he was participating in he was always competitive. He loved watching Packer and Badger football games. He hiked out of the Grand Canyon after a river raft trip. While snowbirding in Arizona, he hiked up to the Flat Iron section of the Superstition Mountains. Both hikes took tremendous endurance. He never backed down from a challenge and on occasions did some activities not recommended, without anyone challenging him. (Just for the fun of it!)
He had a wicked sense of humor and a wry smile. He did not have much to say. But if he said something, it was usually worth listening to. He liked to keep people guessing and on their toes.
Robert Joseph Riedner is survived by his wife, Betty, of almost 55 years, daughter, Bobbie (Bruno), son, Brady (Jennifer). Jennifer is a nurse. She spent the last week watching over Bob and making sure he was as comfortable as possible. She did an awesome job! We cannot thank her enough! Robert is also survived by sisters: Rita Conlin, Mary Ellen MacLaughlin (LaMoine), Rosemary Hentz (Mike), Carol Hepler (Kelly), fishing and golfing buddy brother-in-law Donald Beresh (Sharon), along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Judge Joseph H. Riedner and his wife, Madalyn, his in-laws Alex and Myrtle Beresh, brothers-in-law Larry Beresh and Fred Conlin, paternal and fraternal grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
Bob's body was donated to The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. There will be no official ceremonies. Once the family receives his ashes, they will be scattered in all of Bob's favorite places. Anyone wishing to make donations in his memory, please do so to your favorite charities or the Alzheimer’s Association.
