Robert Schlueter

Robert "Bob" Schlueter, 90, of Clark, passed away peacefully at his home on June 11, 2025. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clark at 11:00 a.m. Burial with full military honors will immediately follow the service at Rose Hill Cemetery in Clark. A time of fellowship and a meal will follow burial at the church, all are invited to attend. Pastor Jody Peterson will be officiating services. Visitation will be held the evening prior, Monday, June 16, 2025, at Furness Funeral Home in Clark, from 5:00 until 6:30, with a time of sharing beginning at 6:30. Furness Funeral Home is honored to assist the Schlueter family with arrangements.

Bob was born on November 20, 1934, on a farm south of Canistota, South Dakota, to Victor and Alvera Schlueter. Growing up on the farm, his love for animals and mischievous nature was apparent from an early age. Known for being a practical joker, Bob kept his mother on her toes, especially on laundry days when she on occasion found hidden creatures like snakes in his pockets. He once taught his dog Sambo how to climb a ladder and even had a hamster he kept in his shirt pocket.

In high school, Bob proudly drove a Ford Model A with a rumble seat, often participating in local parades. He was known to hitchhike between college at SDSU in Brookings and home. Though he originally wanted to farm like his father, Bob's asthma redirected his path. He chose pharmacy, jokingly believing it was the "closest thing to farming" and, in his words, "probably the easiest."

In 1956, Bob moved to Clark and began working at Bockoven Drug. It was in Clark where he met Barbara Mann, at a local dance hall. After a brief courtship, Bob was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving as a pharmacist at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver and Fort Clayton in the Panama Canal Zone. After two years of service, he returned to Clark and married Barbara on March 19th, 1960.

In 1961, Bob and his business partner, the late Noel Fischer, purchased Bockoven's Drug. Bob truly enjoyed being a pharmacist living in an era where you could own your pharmacy and talk to customers about their medicine. It was his true calling. In 1972, they expanded, adding on an adjacent grocery store, creating a unique combination that the local newspaper playfully described with the headline, "Can a pill find happiness with a banana? We think it can." When the grocery business was later sold in 1992 and their drugstore business separated, another headline read, "Pill-Banana Split."

In 1997, Bob and Noel decided it was time to retire. After 116 years of Bockoven's Drug being in business, it was closed-the newspaper calling it "An End of an Era in Clark". Following his retirement, Bob remained very active in the community and in life. He spent several years driving the Medi-Van, offering transportation to those in need and was instrumental in helping establish the Clark Development Corporation. Retirement not only gave him the opportunity to travel more to memorable places like China, Panama, and areas of Europe, but also allowed him more time to indulge in his favorite pastimes-hunting and fishing.

Bob's love for the outdoors was lifelong. He spent countless hours driving the boat, pulling tubers, teaching kids and grandkids how to ski, and sharing his passion for fishing and hunting. He shot his final deer at the age of 90. With his grandchildren living out of town, he "adopted" a local neighbor boy, Tanner Paulson-and brought him on many unforgettable fishing adventures. He and Barb became Tanner's godparents.

He was a devoted gardener who shared his abundant harvests with friends and family. A community-minded man, Bob was involved in the Jaycees, Rotary Club, the American Legion, St Paul Lutheran Church, and was a foundation board member for the Prairie Lakes Hospital in Watertown, SD. He was generous and kind, had a quick wit, a contagious chuckle, and the best bear hugs. He made others feel seen, valued and loved. A friend once described him as "sugar on legs," and it could not have been more fitting. He had a gentle soul, a kind heart, and a light that touched everyone he met.

Bob's greatest joy was his family. He spoke of them with unwavering pride and love and there was never any doubt how deeply he adored his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Though he and Barb lived miles away from their children, they made it a priority to attend as many of his grandchildren's events as possible.

Bob was a devoted husband as they celebrated 65 years of marriage this past March. To mark this incredible milestone, their children hosted a celebration of life party last summer in their honor. It was a wonderful gathering filled with love, laughter, and heartfelt speeches shared by family, celebrating the lives they built together and the lasting impact they made on those around them.

Bob is survived by his wife of 65 years, Barbara Schlueter, 3 children, James A. Schlueter (Marty), Sandra K. Bergdale (John), and Diane M. Jordahl (Brian); 8 grandchildren, Bryan Bergdale (Andrea), Ted Schlueter, Andrew Schlueter, Katie Roorda (Spencer), Matthew Jordahl (Olivia), Kaija Bergdale, Tyler Jordahl, Elizabeth Jordahl; 6 great-grandchildren, Hunter, Nora, and Brooks Bergdale, Maeve and Harlen Roorda, and Jace Jordahl. He is also survived by his sister, Jan VanVugt (Sid), niece Rebecca Mohr (David), and nephew Paul Rierson (Shannon).

Bob is reunited in Heaven with his parents, Victor and Alvera Schlueter, his parents-in-law, Lyman and Louella Mann, brother-in-law Sid VanVugt, and many dear loved ones who went before him. His legacy of love, laughter, kindness, and quiet strength lives on in all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to St Paul Lutheran Church, The Rotary Club of Clark, or Hospice.

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