Robert Charles Meeske, 78, died Sunday, Jan.6, 2019 at home, after battling bone cancer and Parkinson’s for a number of years.  

He was surrounded by his family watching the Bears Football game.

Bob was born to Marie and Bob Meeske and raised in Princeton, Illinois, where he was president of his freshman and senior class at Princeton High. He graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and took classes at Northern Illinois University toward his master’s degree.  

He was honorably discharged from the United States Air Force as a staff sergeant in 1969.

Bob is survived by his wife of 52 years, Carol Venema Meeske; sister, Rita Meeske Hensley (husband John); sons, Robert Peter Meeske and Richard Charles Meeske (daughter-in-law Amy Brown Meeske); and grandson, Ryan Charles Meeske.  

He is predeceased by a daughter, Jenny; and a sister, SueAnn.

Bob worked for R.R.Donnelley and Sons for 29 years in human resources in Chicago, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, New York City and back to corporate in Chicago as corporate offices manager of human resources.  After retiring, he found his dream job as part of the senior management team with LinksCorp, a golf course acquisition and management company in the Southeast.  

He was involved with many nonprofit companies while working for Donnelley and spent a number of years as a loaned executive with United Way. He was on the board of Traveler’s Immigrant and Aid Society for 10 years, the Northwestern University Advisory Board for the Master of Management in Manufacturing degree program, Mercy Hospital Board of Advisors and Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation as well as being active with the Boy Scouts and church.  

When his boys were in college, he served on the Knox College Parents’ Advisory Council and the DePauw University Parents’ Fund Committee as co-chair.

Carol and Bob moved to Landrum in 1999, where they renovated an old log cabin for two years and then started enjoying life in the Foothills, where Bob was active doing Jazz programs for the Wonderful Olde Tyme Radio Club, where he hosted a monthly jazz series. 

He served on the Board of Directors of the Tryon Fine Arts Center as an unpaid consultant on strategic planning for area nonprofits. He also served the Tryon Congregational Church on four committees, narrated three Sherlock Holmes programs for the National Audio Theater and announced or narrated two annual Shows of the Palmetto Statesmen Barbershop Chorus.  

He collected vinyl records, with which he decorated his music room, and played golf whenever the opportunity presented itself.

His final favor that he asked, “In rough and bunker, Kindly take my ashes, and strew there; Don’t spread them in the fairway-they Would not know what to do there.” — By Dick Emmons.

A memorial service for Bob will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, at the Tryon Congregational Church.

The family requests, in lieu of flowers, that donations may be made to the following organizations: Jenny’s Library at the Tryon Congregational Church, St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation, or any Parkinson’s affiliated charity. We also wish to thank all the Comfort Keepers for all the wonderful care they gave Bob.

Condolences to the family can be made to sandersfuneralandcremation.com.

Sanders Funeral and Cremation Service of Columbus