Robert Allen Case

Robert Allen Case II was born in Washington, D.C., on October 17, 1943, to Robert and Lovelia Case, moving to Ellensburg, WA, when he was two, making him a third-generation Ellensburger. Bob went through the Ellensburg school system, graduating from Ellensburg High School in l961.

Bob attended the University of Washington and was a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, which had a huge part in shaping him into the man he became.

He became a Christian in April, 1965, after attending a meeting of Campus Crusade for Christ. Eventually he joined the staff of Campus Crusade, where he met Katherine Rhoda, of Berkeley, CA. Together in l967 they went to Europe to help begin Crusades' work on that continent and were married in London later that year.

Becoming a Christian was utterly transformative to Bob's life in his goals, ambitions, pursuits and passions. Spending time at L'Abri Fellowship in Switzerland and studying under Dr. Francis Schaeffer pushed him even further into ministry and the pursuit of biblical truth.

Wanting to pursue ministry full time, he attended and graduated from Covenant Theological Seminary. Upon graduating, Bob served as a Presbyterian pastor in Colorado Springs and Phoenix. In 1976 he became the first national director for the pro-life Christian Action Council (now known as CareNet) in Washington, D.C., starting a lifelong passion for the pro life movement.

Bob and Kathy moved back to Ellensburg, WA, to raise their family. He joined his father at Thayer Case Realtors in 1980 and continuing his education, he earned a D. Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary in organizational development and in l995 an MA in philosophy from Central Washington University. While involved with real estate, he taught business, philosophy and the Great Books at CWU from 1990 to 2000.

Bob was an active writer and published many articles in popular magazines and academic journals throughout his adult life. He was also active in many Ellensburg civic affairs, serving on the Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the chairman of the Board of Directors for the Ellensburg Christian School, president of the Kittitas County Board of Realtors, and chairman of the board for Ellensburg Care Net.

Throughout the late 80s and 90s, Bob became active in politics. In l987 President Ronald Reagan appointed him to the National Council on Vocational Education. He was elected chairman of the Kittitas County Republican Party in the late 1980s and was on the Washington State Republican Central Committee during those years. In 1989 he ran for the state house of representatives from Ellensburg.

In l990 he was elected to the Board of Directors for God's World Publications, Inc. and ten years laterJoel Belz, publisher of World Magazine, asked Bob to come to Asheville and start a World Journalism Institute, a training program for college students who aimed for a career in journalism or communications. He accepted the challenge and he and Kathy moved to Asheville, NC.

In 2006 Bob and Kathy returned to Washington State to be close to their daughters and his parents. He continued to be the director of WJI until his retirement at the age of 70 in the summer of 2013 but continued his popular podcast on the American Songbook and Christianity. In his retirement Bob also published a commentary on the biblical book of Esther entitled Esther and Trump, a book on organizational management and a treatise on David Hume.

Bob enjoyed playing the piano, spending time with his grandkids and being with his wife of almost 60 years, Kathy.

Bob is survived by his wife, Katherine, his two daughters Karissa Taylor and Angie Suich, his two sons-in-law, Nathaniel Taylor and Josh Suich, his grandchildren, Alexis Taylor, Hannah Taylor, Jack Taylor and Olivia Suich, and a sister and a brother-in-law, Joseph and Deborah Aimone.