Robert “Bob” Frerking passed away on Thursday, December 23, at his home at the age of 80.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 29, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Concordia with Pastor Michael Pottschmidt and Pastor Andrew Lehenbauer officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Concordia. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to the St. Paul’s Foundation for the Future Building Fund. An online guestbook is available at www.campbell-lewis.com
Bob was the second son of five sons born to Walter Frerking and Erna (Stuenkel) Frerking on August 30, 1941. He was baptized and confirmed by Rev O. E. Heilman at St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Concordia MO. He received his elementary education at St. Paul’s Lutheran School and his secondary education at Concordia High School. Growing up on the farm with many chores to do instilled a strong work ethic in Bob and growing up with four brothers required creativity at playtime but served them all well later in life.
After graduating High School in 1959 Bob attended CMSU at Warrensburg, MO and received a two year associate degree. He went to work at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City doing store layout and design. On December 2, 1961, he married Carol Flandermeyer, his high school sweetheart and classmate, with Rev Wm. J. Wollenberg officiating. After working for two years he decided to get his four year degree at CMSU with a BS degree in Education majoring in Industrial Arts.
However, instead of pursuing a career in education, he found a job at an electronics company in KC named Wilcox. Altogether, Bob worked for twenty-five years at Wilcox while leaving several times to pursue other interests. Wilcox was a highly technical company as it designed and manufactured aircraft landing systems for the FAA, DOD and general aviation. Bob’s administrative skills at Wilcox served him well in engineering and marketing. He was involved in some classified projects through Northrop the parent company. As such he had secret clearance status. Other career changes involved a time working locally designing and building homes for a local lumber business and as a plant accountant at a manufacturing plant in Sedalia.
Bob retired from Wilcox in 1996 at the age of 55 and took a position with the City of Concordia as its first full-time city administrator. Public administration was new to Bob but he quickly became acclimated as there was a lot to be done.
During his tenure a sports complex was completed including an aquatic center. A “state of the art” water filtration plant was constructed and the community center completed. Numerous infrastructure projects were completed as well as internal systems and procedures. After eight years Bob retired from city government.
Bob was very active in work at St. Paul’s Church having served on numerous boards and committees. One of his proudest accomplishments was leading the construction of a new elementary school in 2008. He also co-chaired a subsequent effort to make upgrades to the gymnasium and the church interior and exterior. Prior to his death he was serving as Treasurer.
Bob was also a proud member of the Lions Club having been a member for over 45 years in two different tenures. He was president twice and led the construction of the bicentennial clock tower in Central Park and to relocate and renovate the Little Sister of Lady Liberty statue originally donated by the Boy Scouts. He also designed three shelter houses in Concordia Park.
Throughout his life and after retirement Bob was an avid hunter, fisherman and spent a lot of time at his recreational property in northern Howard County. He was a member of a traveling golf group that played a different area course every Monday. His real passion however was fine woodworking. He was a member of the Lee’s Summit Wood Guild. He sold his turnings at the Crystal Bridges Art Museum and in 2019 received the second place award at the master woodworking competition in the State of Oklahoma.
Bob’s wife Carol preceded him on April 21, 2018, after battling metastatic breast cancer for 26 years. Their marriage was blessed with three sons. Steven and his wife Christy and grandsons Tyler (Caitlyn) and Tanner in Concordia; Brett and his wife Melissa and grandson Caleb and granddaughter Meghan in Lees Summit; Matthew and his wife Janelle and grandson Nicholas and granddaughter Kaitlyn in Lake Ozark.
On October 5, 2019, Bob found the second love of his life when he married Janice Kay Renno. Bob and Jan were a perfect match and lived happily in Bob’s farm home outside Concordia. The family more than doubled in size with the addition of Jan’s family consisting of three sons and one daughter. Kent and Denise of Carnation, WA; Craig, Stacey, Kyra and Brayden of Platte City, MO; Troy, Shelly, Turner and Landry of Concordia, MO; and Ben, Lauren, Lincoln and Gordon of Concordia, MO.
Bob is also survived by his four brothers: Paul Frerking and Jean of Concordia, Roland Frerking and Betty of Spring, TX, Kenneth Frerking and Carol of Emma, and Brian Frerking and Elizabeth of Concordia; as well as many nieces, nephews and other extended family.
Bob was extremely proud of both families, his church, and his community.