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Robert Leo "Bob" Huneck

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University of Notre Dame

Robert Huneck Obituary

ROBERT LEO "BOB" HUNECK, 69, died Monday Jan. 5, 2004, at his home. He was born in Marion and moved his family to Fort Wayne, in 1973. A graduate of St. Paul High School, Marion, he went on to study business at the University of Notre Dame, receiving his Bachelor's degree in 1955. He was an Army veteran stationed in Germany following college graduation. He was a National Sales Manager and Marketing Consultant for the Homer Laughlin China Company and had been in the food service industry for over 30 years. He was a member of Our Lady Of Good Hope Catholic Church and a lifelong follower of the Catholic faith. He is survived by his wife, Gail (Rafuse) Huneck; five children, Mark Huneck of Fort Wayne, Lisa (Huneck) Collins of Tampa, Fla., Kurt (Bev) Huneck and Michael (Erin) Huneck, both of Indianapolis and Christopher Huneck of Fort Wayne; sister, Mary Ann (George) Batcho of Highland; five grandchildren; one great-grandson; nieces; and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Mozelle (Williams) Huneck; and sister, Martha Hamilton. Mass of Christian Burial is 11 a.m. Friday at Our Lady Of Good Hope Catholic Church, 7215 St. Joe Road, with the Rev. Father David Voors officiating. Visitation one hour prior to mass at the church, also from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Hockemeyer & Miller Funeral Home, 6131 St. Joe Road, with rosary at 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Burial at Catholic Cemetery. Memorials to Masses, Parkview Home Health Hospice or the Cancer Services of Allen County.

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Published by Fort Wayne Newspapers on Jan. 7, 2004.

Memories and Condolences
for Robert Huneck

14 Entries

Celine Bir-Olvera

July 15, 2024

Celine Bir-Olvera

July 15, 2024

Celine Bir-Olvera

July 15, 2024

Celine Bir-Olvera

July 15, 2024

Celine Bir-Olvera

July 15, 2024

Celine Bir-Olvera

July 15, 2024

Dear Huneck family,
It's hard to believe it's been 20 years since Bob's passing. He was one of the kindest, most endearing people I've ever known.
Although I only spent one long weekend with Bob & Gail, it was an incredible journey into a greater understanding of my father's childhood years, especially learning about the trio Tom, Bob & Joe.
My mother interviewed them all and published their stories in my Dad's childhood memoirs.
Their stories live on.
It was a sunny Nov 2nd weekend in 2002. I was blessed to have the honor to go in place of my mother Barbara to a reunion of Bob & Gail, Joe & Jeanne Fowler and my Dad, Tom Bir. Mom was teaching English for DLI in Tajikistan of all places.
It had been just over 51 years since the trio, known as TOM, BOB & JOE, had graduated from St Paul Catholic High School in Marion, Indiana.

The weekend included a tailgate party and seats to a Notre Dame home game!! They cheered and sang along to all the Notre Dame Fighting Irish songs. Unfortunately, it was the first game out of nine games that they lost, and it was to Boston College.
Joe was not a happy camper!! He was an outright grump after the game!
However, once everyone got settled back at the Huneck home in Ft Wayne, and the guys started laughing and going down memory lane, the Notre Dame loss was brushed off.
Hanging out in the basement bar with the guys, they talked about memories of playing all summer long at the St Paul church playground. They had spent 12 years together from first grade August,1939 until they graduated in June, 1951.
They spoke of when WWII started and how Tom's brothers Herman and Richard had gone to fight overseas, yellow ribbons around trees, blacked out letters to home, Dad's mom listening to Hitler yelling in German and weaping.
The guys were just eight when the US entered the war in 1941 and 12 when it ended. But during those already hard years, Bob lost his mother when he was nine and Joe lost his sister when he was 12.
They talked about kneeling together in front of the casket at both funerals.
They remembered the joy of going to downtown Marion on VE Day and VJ day and all the celebration of the end of the war.
Tom, Bob, and Joe had been best friends through their entire childhoods. The played baseball and basketball together for the St Paul Trojans.
My favorite story that Bob told so well was from after they graduated high school. Tom had gone off to the seminary. Bob & Joe went on to Notre Dame University. They went to tryouts for the Notre Dame basketball team. Having grown up isolated and with a graduating class of about 30 students, they were not aware of what they were about to encounter!
As Bob & Joe sat on the bench in their St Paul uniforms, having arrived way early for tryouts, in entered all these huge, super tall, buff looking dudes. Bob recalled how he was freaking out saying "where is Tom? Why isn't he here with us? What are we going to do?"
The, finally decided to slowly walk backwards so as to be very inconspicuous, AND PRETEND TO BE BALL BOYS!!!

Lisa Collins

January 14, 2004

Dad,

You were truly the greatest Father a girl could ever hope for...and besides that you were one of my very best friends, as well. I have learned a great deal from you over the years. You always conveyed love, concern, kindness, and thoughtfulness to everyone you came in contact with and this has always been a goal of mine.

What an example you set, not only for your children, but for all who knew you. I thank God for every moment we spent together and look forward to the day we meet again...

Lovingly,

Clarise Castro

January 11, 2004

We will miss the smiling face and the outstanding human being he was.

Jeff Robinson

January 11, 2004

Mike, Mark & Chris, Sorry to hear of your loss,my thoughts and prayers are with your family.

Jeff Robinson

Sally Wedgwood Louk

January 9, 2004

Dear Gail & Family,

My prayers are with you and your family. Bob was always smiling and had such a great laugh. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him at HLC.

Sincerely,

Sally Wedgwood Louk

Doug & Laurie Steinbrunner

January 8, 2004

Mark,

We are very sorry about the passing of your father. You have our deepest sympathy.

Sincerely,

Doug and Laurie

Steinbrunner

Joe & Jeanne Fowler

January 7, 2004

Dear Gail and Family, you are in our thoughts and prayers.

I will truly miss my lifelong friend, Bob........

Even though we were miles apart for most of our lives, we never lost our affection for each other, and always remembered the good times we had growing up together.........

We'll be together again someday.

Joe

Lou Mowan

January 7, 2004

I was very sorry to read about this. My condolences to the family and especially Kurt.

Dan & Sheri Opliger

January 7, 2004

Mark and Matt and families,

We are very sorry for your loss. We are unable to visit you at the funeral home because we are out of state for 2 weeks. We will remember your family in our prayers.

Love, Dan and Sheri

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