Robert Wendell
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 6A Obituary - September 21, 2018
On August 23, 2018, Robert Wendell, strong and loving father of three, passed away at the age of 84. Bob was a Depression-era baby born on January 30, 1934, in Schnectady, NY and raised around Carlisle, PA. His degree in Industrial Engineering from Penn State University and Catholic upbringing led to a life of devoted pragmatism. He married twice, loved a lot, and raised three children at a time when fathers didn’t often take on that responsibility. After high school, Bob’s path took him from Pennsylvania to Canada and California to serve in the Air Force during the Korean War. After serving, he attended Penn State on the G.I. Bill and built a family and career as a systems engineer while moving from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, Ohio, and Indiana. He settled in Colorado later in life and fell in love with its dramatic natural beauty, but at every stop in his journey he took great joy in life’s simple pleasures. He loved a good meal, a carefully crafted Manhattan, a beautiful sunset, and the wit of Johnny Carson. Strong-willed, proud, and young at heart, he was a private man who nevertheless could command a room with his booming voice, dry wit, and vivid charm. Strong and pragmatic until the end, he was serene in reflection on a life full of Peace, Love, and Joy. Bob is preceded in death by his father, Simpson; mother, Betty; brother, Charles, and daughter, Kathryn. He is survived by his daughter, Susan; son, David, and grandchildren Philip, Ben, and Kate. There is no local memorial service planned, but his family asks that you give a toast of your favorite beverage and hug somebody you love in his honor. That will make him smile as he sips Manhattans and watches sunsets in the sweet hereafter.
