Robert “Bob” J. Kollmeyer
Peacefully passed away on December 30, 2025, at the age of 71. Beloved husband of Jeanne Kollmeyer. Loving father of Phil (Pinar Okumus) Kollmeyer, Keith (Alyssa) Kollmeyer, and Claire (Joe) Osterman. Proud grandfather of Poyraz Kollmeyer, and Grace and Jane Kollmeyer. Further survived by nieces and nephews, other loving relatives and friends.
Bob was born and raised in La Grange Park, IL, and graduated with his BS in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. During his younger days, he spent time racing his go-cart, hanging out with his many friends in the neighborhood, going to concerts, and toiling away at the local bowling bowl factory and other jobs. He regaled his children and family with countless stories of his time growing up in Chicago, always embellished and occasionally of questionable origin. He enjoyed introducing his family to his friends through the yearly “Toliet Bowl” football game on Thanksgiving near his parent’s house.
At the age of 24, Bob met his then-girlfriend, and eventual wife, Jeanne. The story goes that he only ate potato chips and drank Coca-Cola before meeting Jeanne, and that he spent a full day emptying “many bags of garbage” from his apartment before she came over for the first time. After spending a beautiful snowy winter together (a favorite season of both), they fell for each other and eventually married in 1980.
Wanting to leave Chicago for a quieter and more bucolic setting, Bob and Jeanne moved to Fond du lac, WI in 1982, where Bob worked for over 25 years at Giddings and Lewis. Bob volunteered his time working with children, teaching Sunday school at Pilgrim United Church of Christ, where he and Jeanne were longtime members.
Bob and Jeanne raised their kids in Fond du Lac, and Bob was a constant presence in each of their lives. He never missed a game or concert, provided steadfast support as they grew up and left the house, and tried to connect with each individually. He and Phil spent many hours together fixing his perennially broken-down BMWs (hobby cars) and they frequently sailed together; he brought Keith to his first rock concert and shared his passion in music with him; he cheered Claire on in all her endeavors (including Rugby and learning Spanish together!) and would do almost anything for his only daughter.
In 2008, with their children out of the house, Bob and Jeanne moved to Milwaukee, WI. There, Bob worked at Turck and was active in the community. He volunteered his time with the Urban Ecology Center and his church as well as the Guest House of Milwaukee, helping organize dinners to feed people at the shelter. Bob and Jeanne also took up lawn bowling in Lake Park and they loved exploring the city.
Throughout Bob’s life, he and Jeanne shared a passion for the outdoors, enjoying cross-country skiing, hiking, cycling, and sailing. He and Jeanne passed these passions onto their children, and Bob had many fond memories of exploring the wilderness with his family in Wisconsin and around the USA as well as the world (with Rocky Mountain National Park being one of Bob’s favorite destinations). Bob also had a great love of music, from jazz, to classical, and rock ‘n’ roll.
Bob was a kind and gentle soul, and he had a knack for making everyone feel at home. He had a wonderful sense of humor and was at times downright goofy. Stories abound with his hijinks, including egging his son on to touch the Rosetta stone (sorry British Museum!), gifting a Red Rider BB gun to a certain nephew as a gag gift, attending many “keggers” thrown by his son Phil and attended by his wife and other children, and other colorful stories.
He enjoyed life to its fullest. He knows he will be missed, but, as he told those closest to him, he was lucky to have the life that he lived and was happy notwithstanding the health challenges he faced in his final years.
The Kollmeyer family wishes to thank the Ovation Jewish Home staff for their loving care of Robert during his illness. We will never forget their kindness.
A private celebration of Bob’s life will take place at a later date. Private family interment will take place at Prairie Rest in Forest Home Cemetery. Memorials in Bob’s name may be made to the Urban Ecology Center (https://www.urbanecologycenter.org/support/give) or the Guesthouse of Milwaukee (https://www.guesthouseofmilwaukee.org/ways-to-give).