Celebrating Bob Bohling, a Good Old Friend

Bob Bohling was enthusiastic. There was never any doubt about how he felt about something – always cheerful and ready to participate. Although Bob experienced his share of bullies in his life, he also had some very loyal friends. Among them were Jake Jacobs and Janet Hotsapillar, who stayed in touch with him until his light went out.

Jake met Bob accidentally in 9^th grade at Roosevelt Intermediate. One day Jake noticed some guys hassling another student. He interceded, telling the crowd that if they needed to pick on someone, to pick on him. They backed off and after that, as Jake put it, Bob “sort of adopted me.” They discovered that they had the same birthday and remained friends long after graduating from high school.

Bob received his draft notice from the US Army in late 1963. He served two years, came back to Wichita when he got out, and went to work at Boeing. Jake was drafted in 1965. When he returned to Wichita, he and some old friends met occasionally for breakfast and Jake always  invited Bob to join in. When Janet moved back to Wichita, she joined Jake’s crowd. She remembered Bob from Roosevelt school days, and she too, became Bob’s friend.

According to Jake, Janet is a very good cook. She occasionally invited Bob and Jake over for a barbeque dinner. Knowing that Bob usually ate in restaurants, Janet thought she would try to teach him to cook. So she wrote out a series of helpful hints and instructions and gave them to him. Sometime later she asked him, “Have you cooked anything?” “No,” he answered, “but I still have the notes.”

On another occasion, Jake mentioned a weekly event in Cottonwood Falls. A particular café there sponsored a music night featuring different types of musical groups. Bob and Janet wanted to go, but Jake was not available. So Bob said that he would take Janet to hear the music. She volunteered to drive, but he insisted he knew the way, and off they went. After they had gone some distance, it was apparent that something was wrong. They were actually on their way to Manhattan! “We did get there eventually,” says Janet.

Bob worked for Boeing for 38½ years in the Parts Department where he dispensed parts and tools to workers on the assembly lines. In 2004 Boeing was downsizing and laid off many employees with a settlement known as the “Golden Handshake.” Bob received a sizable amount of money and retired from work. In 1995 Bob had hired a financial advisor, and she stayed with him for 27 years, eventually becoming his legal guardian. She treated Bob as a friend and often visited him or invited him to her home for holidays meals with her family.  

Meanwhile, the good fortune from Boeing led Bob to buy a beautiful big house in northwest Wichita. Janet’s favorite story about Bob describes a funny incident when they went with him to see it shortly after the sale was complete. He showed them all around the huge, empty house and described the rooms.  At one point, she opened a door downstairs and asked, “What is this?” Bob couldn’t say because he had never noticed it. He had bought the house without seeing every room. Jake reports that the house had several bedrooms, a completely finished basement with bar, and a three-car garage that was “probably bigger” than Jake’s own apartment.

The Boeing retirement gift also inspired in Bob a passion for acquiring stuff. He got the bug to attend Bud Palmer auctions and set about buying antiques and collectibles that took his fancy. He displayed them in the basement rec room. To name just a few, there was a 6-foot wooden Indian, three or four working slot machines, and a revolving barber’s pole. One wall contained over thirty neon advertising signs, all lit up and promoting beer and automobiles. Some of our classmates will remember when they took Bob up on his invitation to stop in during one of our reunion weekends to see his vast collection of treasures. He loved showing off his place.

Speaking of cars, Bob bought a replica Model A Ford from ‘60 classmate William A. “Pinky” Nelson. Bob always enjoyed driving in the Model A Club’s annual parade in Kechi. Picture him at the wheel of the car with a very large teddy bear riding in the rumble seat! (If you look closely, you can see the back of Teddy’s head through the rear window).

Travel too, sparked Bob’s interest. He went to Egypt and to Israel on two separate tours and another to the Kentucky Derby with members of his church. Las Vegas was a favorite destination and for a time he went every year for the New Year’s Eve celebrations. Many classmates received Bob’s annual Christmas cards that contained photos of himself living the high life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But Bob also shared his wealth. In honor of his own beloved kitties, he donated $50,000 to the Kansas Humane Society in Wichita where his name is inscribed (as Jake puts it) “on the door of the cat house.”

Assisted Living, and finally Hospice helped Bob live out his days. He died on May 27, 2022.  According to his wishes, his ashes are buried near his mother and grandparents in Perry, Oklahoma.

 “I really liked him;” said Janet, “he was just so genuine.” Jake always called him “Ace.” And that he was.

Editor’s Note: Many thanks to Barbara Hammond for composing this tribute to Bob Bohling.