Robert (Bob) Waldman of Grinnell, Kansas passed away February 13, 2024, at the Logan County Senior Living Center in Oakley, Kansas at the age of 88. He was born to Lawrence and Barbara (Zerr) Waldman June 7, 1935, on the family farm where he lived all of his life. Bob served two years in the Army stationed in Germany. He was a very proud member of the American Legion Post #301. He loved volunteering his time to the Grinnell school's activities, Golden Plains 4-H, Tri-County Credit Union, S & T Telephone board, ASCS board, Gove County Endowment Board, and to his church where he spent many days doing upkeep with his friends. He loved the community he lived in and eagerly volunteered his time to various activities such as the Grinnell After Harvest Festival and many more.
Bob married his wife Loretta (Zimmerman) on November 29, 1958. They were married for 65 blessed years. To this union five children were born: Stan (Stanislaus), Annette (Nose), Lisa (Charlie), Mike (Miserable) and Amy (Mouse).
Bob loved planes at a very young age, and it grew into a passion to build model planes which he flew with his friends. Bob became a pilot and loved flying. The view from above was a sight for him to behold. Bob and Loretta worked side by side on the "Waldman Ponderosa", which was the family farm. They sowed and harvested many crops and raised herds of cattle. Another passion of his was the "BBL's", a group of brothers-in-law he loved dearly. They were an ornery group and had the best times when they were together.
He loved his family deeply. He is survived by his wife, Loretta; his sons, Stan Waldman, Scott City, Kansas and Mike (Susan) Waldman, Iola, Kansas; his daughters, Annette (Bill) Parke, Oakley, Kansas; Lisa (Mike) Racette, Oakley, Kansas; and Amy (Shane) Brooks, Quinter, Kansas; his twelve grandchildren, Krista Waldman, Chase (Rystal) Waldman, Jonathan (Corine) Porter, Jason Racette, Chris Racette, Aaron (Taylor) Racette, Andrew Waldman, Jeremy Waldman, Tanya (Latham) Schwarz, Tamika Brooks, Lisa Woods and Lori Rohling; his "Greats", Blake, Layla and Decker Waldman, Otto, Leno and Baby Porter, Braelyn and Kinsley Racette, Frankie Racette, Brayden and Peyton Woods, and Lainey and Luke Rohling. Bob became a father figure to his sister's children, Roberta Harper, Ed Lubbers, Patricia Percival, Joyce Baalman, Don Lubbers, and Susan Pixler. He loved all of his sisters and brothers-in-law and his many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother; father and mother-in-law, Theodore and Rosalie Zimmerman; sister Pauline Lubbers, brother-in-law George “Skip" Lubbers, and many beloved sisters and brothers-in-law.Bob had many wonderful friends here on earth whom he loved to visit and spend time with, and he was ready to join the ones who went before him.
His family will miss him dearly.
A Funeral Mass will take place at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, February 22, 2024, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Grinnell, with burial in the church cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Immaculate Conception Church, Immaculate Conception Cemetery Fund or the American Legion Post #301 and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit baalmannmortuary.com