Robert Wayne Siegfried or more commonly Old Bob at 94 years old passed away peacefully next to his bride of 74 years Thelma Jean at their home at Brookeridge Airpark in Illinois on June 5th 2024.
Old Bob was born in Peoria, Il on July 1, 1929 to Samuel and Sophie Siegfried. Old Bob served in the Marine Corps as a young man, but as he said there after “once a Marine always a Marine”. In his dress blues he swept Thelma Anderson off her feet and in August of 1949 they married in Villa Park, Illinois. Bob attended the University of Illinois prior to being hired by United Airlines in 1952. He was not happy when forced to retire after only 38 years and 38 days with United where he flew the DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, DC-8, DC-10, Boeing 727, 737, 747, 767, Convair 340, 440 and the Sud Caravelle. Flying was not just Bob’s vocation it was his passion. When not at work he was at the local airport flying or working on airplanes. He worked and flew out of the Elmhurst airport and for many years kept N2868V, a straight 35 Bonanza at York Township airport. Over the years he owned a J-3, a PT-22, a Staggerwing, several Bonanzas, a Musketeer, and a Schweizer 1-19 glider. He formed a flying club to buy and operate a DC-3 and with good friend Neil Ridenour he helped to resurrect the Chicago Glider Club. He was a partner in Mainline Aviation and Joliet Avionics both located at the Joliet Airport. They were Beechcraft, Schweizer and Hughes dealers and he was the chief flight instructor for the aircraft, glider and helicopter schools. Old Bob was active in the greater aviation community influencing several FAA regulations and becoming a resource in the Beech Bonanza community. He taught all 5 of his and Thelma’s children to fly and all of them soloed gliders on their 14th birthday and airplanes on their 16th. In 1951 Bob and Thelma bought a starter home in Villa Park and lived there for 37 years raising all 5 kids and doing a lot of projects. Bob rarely hired anything done; from maintaining and rebuilding airplanes, fixing cars, home construction and keeping a wooden boat afloat. Between children and flying Bob still found the time to become a sailor. He and the family spent great times on Lake Michigan in their Alberg drawn 38’ Alden Coastwise Cruiser built in the ‘30’s, TP. Bob replaced planks, steamed and replaced frames along with all of the more typical maintenance an old wood boat requires. He also sailed Florida and the Caribbean with his good friend Dr. Wylie Mullen. He and Thelma traveled extensively including most of Europe, India, the Far East and a self-fly safari in Southern Africa. They flew throughout North & South America in small aircraft and in retirement in their V-35B. Old Bob was respected and well known as a very knowledgeable expert on flying and especially Beechcraft products. He shared freely and many pilots benefited greatly.
Bob is survived by Thelma Jean, son Robert Wayne Siegfried II, his wife Jessie, son Richard, his wife Randi, daughter Kathy, son Rand, his wife Andy, daughter Kim, her husband Robert, grandchildren; Robert, Rick, Samantha, Bethany, Sean, Megan, McKinley, Cormac, Stephanie and Bob, great grandchildren; Thomas, Harrison, Jasper, Jayce, Addy, Isabella, Niko, Brendon and Ziggy. Robert was predeceased by his sisters; June and Shirley.
A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.
Anyone that may be interested in making a memorial donation might wish to consider a gift to either of these organizations:
Advocate Charitable Foundation, in support of Home Health and Hospice, 2025 Windsor Drive, Oak Brook, IL 60523 or Click here for online donation or to the Beechcraft Heritage Museum, 570 Old Shelbyville Hwy, Tullahoma, TN 37388 or Click here for online donation.
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While it sounds trite, Old Bob was that guy. The one they meant with the words, ‘God broke the mold after him’. That he was an aviator of tremendous experience and skill misses the point, he was. Fact. But that he passed his love of flying to all his kids should impress the heck out of anyone who has raised a child. Like seriously, all five?!? To begin, flying isn’t easy and herding cats is easier than dealing with teenagers, sometimes. That, and you can’t force *anyone* to learn, so this means they all wanted to share in aviation. That’s on him. And this one fact alone should be your first clue about how special a guy we’re reminiscing about.
Me? I never met him face-to-face, but over the course of ten years he became a mentor. And he greatly influenced me (and I can promise you this, *I* am headstrong. Yet Old Bob shared his knowledge with one and all, and I was blessed to be included.
A finer man has never walked this Earth, TJ and their children have my deepest condolences. So as he flies west, know this, our loss is God’s gain because he has just gained a wonderful man. May God Bless Thelma Jean, and theirs kids as they now are forced to figure out life without him.
Lovely tribute to a wonderful man. Thanks for sharing your feelings, John.
Thanks John! Your thoughts mean a lot to all of us.
May he be as busy in heaven as here on earth as he sounds like he led a life to keep 5 men busy.
I like John Beech can attest to the fact that “Old Bob” was “one of a kind” ! And a finer Gentleman and Aviator doesn’t exist. I operated the FBO at Galesburg Illinois for the last 54 years and and “Old Bob” attended so many of the Annual Stearman Flyin events that I’ve lost count. He will be greatly missed by the World Wide Aviation community!
Harrel Timmons, Founder,
Jet Air, Inc
My heartfelt condolences to Thelma Jean (TJ) and all of her and old Bob’s five children and extended family. My wife, Sylvia, and I were neighbors at the Downers Grove Brookridge Fly-In Community for six years had the pleasure of knowing them for over 50 years through Beech aircraft owners organizations. A delightful couple and no one was more dedicated to family and aviation then Bob, with TJ’s support.
Bless you all. My wife of 67years, Sylvia, passed away a week prior to Bob. Our loss is heaven’s gain
⁸Gr were
⁷
Bob invited (hired?) me to come to Brookeridge to work on his Bonanza. We had previous discussions at ABS functions and over the phone about his plane and I held his knowledge in high regard. After unloading tools and parts at his house/hangar/shop I said I would go find a hotel and be back in the morning. No! that was not an option as he and Thelma Jean had already planned for me to stay there. Arguing that point was also not an option. Two nights and three days of over-the-top hospitality, meals to write home about, unending stories and a sense that these were two of the most gracious and genuine people on earth. I handed Bob a pre-arranged bill for the work minus the room and board, and he immediately balked at the $number. Not enough he said! Another argument I was not going to win.
Heaven is in my heart and head. Bob is right there. Peace.
Dear Thelma, Rick, Rand, and all,
My sincere condolences for this news that was just received. I had a number of interesting interactions with your Bob. One example was him showing me his brand-new-to the-market handheld GPS many years ago when I was just getting started in flying at Crow International Airport. He said come on, walk with me! And we did, briskly! Of course, the newfangled gizmo almost instantly displayed our groundspeed. Amazing for that time. He was an amazing and inspiring man.