Robert 'Bob' Sadilek Jr.

ROBERT "BOB" SADILEK JR.

Cedar Rapids

Robert "Bob" Sadilek Jr., 85, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was called home by our Lord on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. Funeral Mass is a private service at St. Pius X Catholic Church by the Rev. Phil Thompson. Burial: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. As mandated by proclamation, social distancing must be practiced, which requires a limited number of people to be allowed into the visitation at one time. The use of face masks or shields is required.

He was born on May 26, 1935, to Robert and Marjory (Smith) Sadilek. Bob graduated from Franklin High School and from Coe College with a degree in music. He spent four years in the Air Force Academy as a member of the Air Force Academy Band. While at the academy, he received a master's degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder. Bob met Judith Klimes while teaching at Buchanan School in 1961, and they married in 1963 at St. Ludmilla's Catholic Church. The raised four loving children, Elizabeth, Julie, Joel and Jennifer, in a house full of support and laughter.

Bob's life was dedicated to teaching and playing music, as the band director at McKinley Middle School for 35 years, instrumental music teacher at Grant Wood, Tyler, Buchanan and Squaw Creek Schools, and private trombone instructor to many successful musicians. He won multiple awards during his teaching career and led his band to the Iowa Bandmasters Association Convention in the early 1990s. He thrived on playing his trombone with multiple organizations throughout the years, such as the Cedar Rapids Symphony, the Veteran's Band and Dixie Notes Plus Band. He was a member of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band since it began in 1951, acting as the chairman of the band commission until June of this year.

Bob is survived by his devoted wife, Judith (Klimes) Sadilek; his three daughters, Elizabeth Sadilek-Labenski (John), Julie Mullett-Conner (Chad) and Jennifer Szymanowski (Chris); grandchildren, Stefan, Adam, and Marek Labenski, Jay Lynch, Joel, Jackson, Jonah, Jake, Josh, Josie and Joey Mullett, Sam Cummings, and Ava, Blake and Claire Szymanowski; three great-grandsons, Hunter, Bentley and Kaeden Thompson; his brother, Richard Sadilek (Jonelle); sister, Shirley Paulson; three nephews; and one niece.

He was preceded in death by his son, Joel Robert Sadilek (Jana).

Bob was a loving husband, devoted father and dedicated teacher who touched the lives of his family, friends and students through multiple generations. His kindness, dry humor, infectious laugh and inspiration will be missed but never forgotten.

Please leave a message for the family on our web page, www.cedar memorial.com, under obituaries. Memorials may be directed to the family in lieu of flowers.