Robert Rademacher

Dr. Robert "Bob" Rademacher, aged 84 of Fort Collins, Colorado went to be with the Lord on April 9, 2020 after a long battle with Alzheimer's.

Bob was born on Christmas Day 1935 on a farm outside Loup City, Nebraska, to Elvin and Wilma Rademacher. He grew up the second of 4 children and was inseparable from his older brother Earl early on. His brother Gary and his sister Brenda were a source of pride his entire life and to visit his siblings and his parents was always a highlight. He loved to tell stories of his upbringing on the farm and in Loup City and would laugh to the point of tears remembering the good times there with family. He graduated from Loup City High School, where he developed his love for basketball and sports. He was the captain of the basketball team his senior year.

Bob went on to attend Nebraska State Teachers College (UNK) in Kearney, where he played on the tennis team, was the business manager for the school paper, served as the president of his sophomore class, and won the intramural basketball sportsmanship trophy, a testament to his character as a sportsman. He earned his master's degree in 1966 and eventually his Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1971.

After college in Kearney, Bob became a teacher and basketball coach at Beaver City High School in Beaver City Nebraska, where he met the love of his life, Ellen Kay Schmalken. Their love story would last for over 60 years. Bob proposed to Ellen by saying, "You wouldn't want to marry me, would you?" The two were married in Holdrege, Nebraska in August of 1960.
Bob and Ellen moved to Omaha, where Bob was a teacher, tennis coach, and basketball coach at Westside High School. It was in Omaha where they began their family. Bob moved his family to Lincoln to finish his post-graduate work and, upon graduation, moved to Fort Collins, Colorado in 1969 to begin his career at Colorado State University.

Bob was a professor in the Computer Information Systems department in the School of Business for 45 years before retiring. He served as the department chair from 1974 to 1983 and loved his work, colleagues and students at CSU.

In Fort Collins, Bob and Ellen continued to grow their family. Bob was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Collins and served in various positions there for over 50 years. Bob loved Colorado and the mountains. He loved to ski and camp and was active in tennis and sports in Fort Collins. He was an unwavering fan of the CSU Rams and the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and if a game was on, he was watching or attending. His prowess at fantasy sports made him an opponent his family feared matching up against and he won many championships through the years.

Bob loved his wife Ellen and his family dearly, children Greg, Lori, Marc, and David, and he could always be seen supporting his 11 grandchildren at their various events. His laugh, his counsel, and his beautiful eyes will be missed by all who knew him.

Bob is survived by his wife Ellen, his brothers Earl Rademacher and wife JoAnn of Kearney Nebraska, Gary Rademacher and wife Pam of Nebraska City, and sister Brenda Anderson of Lincoln Nebraska, four children, Greg Rademacher and wife Courtney of Fort Collins, Lori Rademacher Wurth and husband James of Frederick, Colorado, Marc Rademacher and wife Shannon of Fort Collins, David Rademacher and wife Betse of Firestone, Colorado, his 11 grandchildren Tyler, Jake, Gracie and Zac (Greg and Courtney), Noah and Hannah (Lori and James), Joe, Reagan and Peter (Marc and Shannon) and Ryan and Rachel (David and Betse).

His Father, Elvin and Mother, Wilma preceded Bob in death.

A service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Collins, after restrictions are lifted, to celebrate Bob's life.