Robert Charles (Bob) Summers Obituary (1937 - 2015)

Robert C. (Bob) Summers was born June 11, 1937 at Lakewood, Ohio, the youngest son of Homer B. and Irma (Truman) Summers, and bother to Homer, Alan, and Thomas. He passed from this life on Sunday, January 18, 2015 at the age of 77 years, fighting a gallant battle from a massive stroke in November 2013.At an early age, he moved with his family to Fort Wayne, IN. The family returned to Avon Lake, Ohio where Bob graduated from high school in 1956. Due to his father's ill health, Bob put off college and helped at home while working for Eastern Airlines. Bob then moved to Junction City, KS to join his brother Alan in the ownership of Summers Motors, a dealership which sold Studebaker, Mercury, Edsel, and Lincoln (SMEL) automobiles.Upon closing the dealership, Bob was offered a track scholarship at Kansas State University. While in Kansas, Bob met and married Marilyn Taylor. To this union three sons were born, Stephen, Kevin, and Brian. Bob went on to receive a B.S. degree in Economics. Companies where Bob held human resource management positions include: RCA, several locations including Puerto Rico, Bear Manufacturing, Davenport, IA, McCall Pattern Co, Manhattan, KS, Kawasaki Motors, Lincoln, NE, Chief Industries, Grand Island, NE and Newell-Rubbermaid, Dewitt, NE. Bob received his MBA from the University of Michigan while working for Bear Manufacturing.During his tenure at Kawasaki, Bob received personal phone congratulations from President Reagan for his work setting up the partnership of Kawasaki and the City of Lincoln to keep Kawasaki employees working. He was written into the Congressional Record for his contributions to Just-In-Time (Lean Manufacturing.) He was also interviewed by Mike Wallace and televised on Sixty Minutes. Bob was a member of the Nebraska Diplomats, and traveled with Governor Thone to recruit business to the state. He was invited to the Oxford Roundtable of Human Resource Executives at Oxford University, England.Bob and wife, Jane (Miller) Pfeifer, were married in 1987 at Port Isabelle, TX. Bob took on the task of raising Jane's four year old son, Tony, as his own son. Bob and Jane were together thirty-four years.Bob and Jane resided in Colorado for several years, owning Strategic Marketing Group, an employment consulting firm. They then moved to Grand Island, NE and returned to Lincoln in 1998. In 1997 at the age of 59, Bob suffered a heart attack and quadruple bypass.At the end of his career, he passed the Nebraska Real Estate exam at first try, and helped Jane in selling and listing real estate.Bob was an avid sports fan; his favorite teams were the Kansas State Wildcats, the Denver Broncos, and the Kansas City Royals.Bob and Jane loved to travel, and enjoyed visiting Western Europe including Russia and Greece, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, South America, Iceland, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, Kiribati, and the continental United States. They made close friends in England and Australia during their travels. Bob also spent several months in Japan while at Kawasaki Motors.Bob was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, and his infant son, Stephen. He is survived by his wife, Jane; sons, Kevin (Lana), St. Paul, NE, Brian (Wendy), Ames, IA, and Tony (Gwen), Lincoln, NE; grandchildren, Seth (Erin), Claire and fiance Alex, Cole and fiance Michelle; great-grandson, Everett; former wife, Marilyn Taylor, and many other relatives and friends. He is missed by his beloved cocker spaniels, Chardonnay and J.T. and cat, Poke.Bob chose cremation; a private family burial will be held at a later date in Ulysses Township Cemetery, Ulysses, NE. Memorials may be directed to the family for future designation. 5200 R ST Lincoln, NE 68504