Robert G. Friedman

Robert G. Friedman

Robert G. Friedman (aka Sam, Jerry or Curly), 89, passed on December 1, 2022 in St. Joseph, MI with wife Shirley by his side.

Sam was born at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, IL on November 10, 1933 to Marion and Charles Friedman. He lived in Chicago, IL and Ironwood, MI for the next 6 years. Then, he attended grade school at St. Hedwig orphanage in Niles, IL, St. Ambrose high school in Ironwood, MI, and St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI. Sam enrolled in AROTC in college, received a USA reserve commission upon graduation, and entered the military. Initial assignment was at Ft. Devon, MA, and then the IG Farben Building, Frankfurt FRG. There, he met his future bride, Shirley Jean Collins, a USANC nurse from Kadoka, SD, and they married in 1956. Shirley is the daughter of Russell and Helen Collins, formerly of Kadoka, SD. Sam and Shirley were blessed with five children. Upon discharge in 1957, they moved to Wild Rose, WI where Sam taught high school mathematics and history. After two years, he opted to return to active duty with a regular commission for a career in the US Army.

Sam's initial assignment upon return to the military was Ft. Sill, OK (Field Artillery School). Two years later, he transferred to the Finance Corps and attended school at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, IN (Army Finance School). Assignments thereafter included Ft. Eustis, VA, ASCOM City (Seoul) KR, Ft. Gordon, GA, Camp Zama JP (payroll, FECOM), Saigon VN (payroll, funding and allocation, currency stabilization, MACV), Ft. Harrison, IN (Finance Center), Ft. Leavenworth, KS (Command and Staff School), and Ft. Monmouth, NJ. He retired from the USA in 1977 at the rank of LTC with 24 years of service.

Upon retirement from USA, Sam worked at Indiana Department of Public Welfare (chief accountant), 1977 to 1984, and then as a civilian in the US Army at Ft. Harrison, IN (M.B. Emmett J. Bean Federal Center, formally the Finance Center), 1984 until full retirement, 2008. He had 48 years of government service, with many honors and medals.

Sam had many stories: of his youth, as "man of the house at his grandmother's" in Ironwood, MI, speaking Polish, sneaking into Green Bay Packers' games, pocket watches, and fishing on Lake Superior; his relationships with his mother, Marion and brother, George, and finding his father's tombstone in Chicago; formative years in MI with aunts, uncles and cousins, and Copper Peak; his path to college and into the military; new-found family he sought out in his later years, including brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. He was forever a Packers fan. He was always maintaining a fleet of vehicles for the family. He bowled, was tech savvy and supported, with his wife, their children, grandchildren, extended and "adopted" families in their endeavors in education and athletics.

Sam is preceded in death by his father, Charles Friedman and mother, Marion Augustine, brothers and sisters, Vic and Bill Bulinski, George Augustyniak, Roachelle Cerney, Samuel, Solomon and Hinda Friedman and many relatives. He is survived by wife Shirley, children Russ (Gail), Michael, Terri, Dani (Gary), and Kevin (Lori), grandchildren Dane (Brittany), Kelsey (Austin) and Abbey and great-grandchildren, David, Siah, Evee and Hezzy and many relatives.

Sam's inurnment will be at the Black Hills National Cemetery at Sturgis, SD in July 2023.