Robert Edward Struckhoff of Athol, Kansas, passed away on Sunday, December 4, 2022, at Smith Center Health and Rehabilitation. He was born in Denver, Colorado, on November 25, 1942, to Eddie and Geneva Struckhoff. Bob was the first of six children.
Bob graduated from Kensington High School in 1960. He married Barbara Norton on June 24, 1962, in the United Methodist Church of Franklin, Nebraska. Of this union two boys were born, John Edward Struckhoff and James Jay Struckhoff. Bob’s construction work led him and Barb to Burdett, Kansas, and then Albion, Nebraska. While in Albion, Bob had an accident that caused life altering injuries. After spending many months in the hospital, they were led back to Bob’s family farm where he farmed for 56 years. He enjoyed farming with his boys during the later years.
In his early farming years, Bob spent countless hours with his dad custom haying and custom silage cutting. They milked cows and worked from sun up to sun down every day. Around 1980, Bob started J&S Machinery where he went to countless farm sales, meeting people from all over. This became the new focus of his life. Many of the people he met along the way became his lifelong friends. He spent many hours at the machinery lot loading trucks until the wee hours of the morning.
When Bob wasn’t working on machinery or the farm, he could be found working on his race cars. Bob followed in his father’s footsteps with his love of stock car racing. One race car was never enough for Bob. He owned up to three race cars at a time and was always in #32. He loved competing against his family and friends from Athol. Between racing and auctions, Bob never knew a stranger.
Other important parts of Bob’s life involved fishing with his cousin PeeWee, decorating the family farm with Christmas lights, spending Friday nights at the Legion, chasing grandkids to and from sporting events, riding the combine, and playing cards. In July of 2020, Bob and Barb had to leave the farm due to health issues and moved to Smith Center Health and Rehab. Bob always had a smile for the nurses who cared for him.
Robert was preceded in death by his wife Barbara, parents Eddie and Geneva Struckhoff, in-laws Vincent and Emerald Norton, sister Sharilyn Currey, and grandson Ryan Struckhoff. Those left to cherish his memories include children John Struckhoff of Kensington, Jim (Trisha) Struckhoff of Smith Center; grandchildren Alyssa Jones, Ashley Struckhoff (Dalton), Ragen Struckhoff, Reece Struckhoff, Addie Struckhoff, Joel (Heidi) Struckhoff, Samantha (Paul) Carswell; great-grandchildren Kaley, Ryder, Harley; and many other friends and family members.
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