Robert L. "Bob" Utecht

Robert L. "Bob" Utecht, 83, of Conway, passed away Wednesday, December 14, 2011. Bob was born on August 29, 1928 in Oshkosh, Wis., the third son of William and Minnie Koepke Utecht. He attended a small country school with students in all six grades sitting in the same room. He enlisted in the Air Force during World War II and was stationed in Washington, D.C. as a photo lab technician. It was there the Air Force sergeant met, courted and married Helen Neuhaus in 1948. Helen's brother-in-law, Orville Schroer, married them. Bob and Helen moved to Milwaukee and lived in the same apartment building as Raphael and Florence Shekoski (Helen's sister). They moved to Manitowoc, Wis., where they bought the two-story house next to the home of Helen's parents. Bob was a salesman with the Boston Store before starting his insurance career with Woodmen Life Insurance Company. While in Manitowoc, three sons were born: Robert William, Thomas Albert and Jeffrey David. Early in 1959, the family moved to Green Bay. Already a devoted Packer fan, the family attended many games enduring the frigid Wisconsin winter cold. In 1962, Woodmen transferred him to Tulsa, Oklahoma where Bob later went to work for Aeromotor, a pump and windmill distributor. Aeromotor moved his family to Conway in 1974. Bob was very active in John Knox Presbyterian Church in Tulsa singing in their choir and serving as an elder and deacon. He was a founding member of The Advent Church who opened one of the first storefront churches in Tulsa. After moving to Conway, Bob was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church where he was a deacon, founding member of the ChristCare ministry and was on the building committee for the new sanctuary. He sang in the choir for years. Bob loved to travel and relished in the planning of trips. He and Helen were fortunate enough to travel throughout the U.S., Canada, Great Britain and Europe. A loving and caring father and husband, up to the day he died he referred to Helen as "my bride." Bob never met a stranger. He spoke with everyone he met, be it in an elevator, grocery store, shopping mall, always leaving them with a smile on their face. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Allan and Melvin. Survivors are his wife, Helen of Conway; three sons Bob and his wife Cindy Utecht of Edmond, Okla., Tom and his wife Kathy Utecht of Frisco, Texas, and Jeff and his wife Dr. Tracey Schmucker, of Little Rock; grandchildren Chris Utecht, Joseph Utecht, Ryan Utecht, Sara Walker, Scott Lashley and Sean Riddle. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, December 17, 2011, at 1:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Conway. Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden.