Robert Schladetzky Sr.

ROBERT JOSEPH SCHLADETZKY SR.

Cedar Rapids

Robert Joseph Schladetzky Sr., 88, of Cedar Rapids, passed away peacefully Friday, June 2, 2017, in Marion, just six months after the death of Shirlee, his wife of 62 years.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Wilma Schladetzky; and his wife, Shirlee Ann Schladetzky.

He is survived by his three children, Dawn (Brad) Akers of Cedar Rapids, Robert (Julie) Schladetzky Jr. of Sioux Falls, S.D., and David (Kjersten) Schladetzky of

Minneapolis; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

A name like Schladetzky, even in Cedar Rapids, led to many nicknames: Bob, BJ, Schled, Sled, RJ, Bobby Joe. Whatever you called him, you certainly called him a friend.

Of all the eras of a man's life, for Bob the most important ones involved water. He was a Miami Beach, Fla., life guard in 1949 and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marines. The Mississippi River in northeast Iowa became the respite for the Schladetzky family. From camping in tents and small boats in 1970 to living large in their houseboat from the 1980s until just last summer, you could always find Bob on that river every weekend, every holiday, every week once he completely retired (which he never really did). In 1984, he was commodore of the McGregor Yacht Club. Oh, and he put a bit of water in his scotch.

BJ was heavily involved in Cedar Rapids civic life in the 1960s and early 1970s, serving as president of the Jaycees in 1964. He also was involved with the Cedar Rapids Art Association, Elks Club, Exchange Club, Boy Scouts, Soap Box Derby, Cedar Rapids Community Theater and several air shows featuring The Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels. Many would say his satellite office was the back table at The Fox and Hounds on Third Avenue.

Sled's favorite hobby was cooking. He and friends had a rotating gourmet club preparing French food for each other. (Boy, Shirlee hated cleaning her kitchen after they'd host!) Thousands of people over the years also enjoyed his catering operation. He was the SAG man for several RAGBRAI teams.

The man was a master smoker of meats!

Bob was a manager at Iowa National Insurance for years. He retired from there and then mastered the career of selling banking tchotchkes. Almost every local bank calendar in the 1980s passed through his hands.

Schled took his oldest son white-water rafting the Green River with George Henry as the pilot; he made sure his daughter always had a ride to work; he taught his youngest son how to work a room and parallel park.

A celebration of life will be held for Bob and Shirlee Schladetzky at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 24, under the waterfront pavilion in McGregor.