Robert Frederick Nadler, 94, of Leipsic, died Friday, December 6, 2024, at The Meadows of Ottawa.
He was born Feb. 11, 1930, in Miller City, Ohio to Lawrence and Rosina (Luttfring) Nadler. On Nov. 27, 1954, he married Dorothy Riepenhoff at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, Miller City, and they celebrated 65 years of marriage before her death in 2020.
Bob was a 1948 graduate of Miller City High School and later attended Mount St. Francis Seminary in southern Indiana. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War, serving with the Third Infantry Division on the front lines in 1952-53. He went on to serve the interests of Putnam County veterans as a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9547, Leipsic; Charles Wagner American Legion Post 287, Leipsic; and the Ottawa chapter of Disabled American Veterans. Over the years he was VFW post commander, quartermaster and chaplain as well as a speaker for Leipsic’s Memorial Day ceremonies and an Honor Flight escort. Into his 90s, he played Taps for fellow veterans’ burial services and was named Putnam County Veteran of the Year finalist in 2022.
A lifelong farmer, Bob was an extremely active member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Leipsic, for more than six decades, serving as a lector and commentator and an RCIA training team member. He and Dorothy together were co-chairpersons for the church’s Renew program. The couple were also active in their Farm Bureau neighborhood group, and he was an Ottawa K of C member. He had been a collector of antique automobiles and a member of both the Pioneer Auto Club and the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America. He volunteered his convertibles for many civic and school homecoming parades over the decades.
He is survived by three children, Karen (Dan) Cota, Bowling Green; Tim (Alexis) Nadler, Leipsic; and David (Chris) Nadler, Dayton; seven grandchildren: Caroline (David) Cota-Buckhout; Shannon (Michael) Forsbach; Beth (Karl) Eby; Liam (Kelsey), Steven (Amito), and Grace Nadler; and Kelly (Derek) Steffan; seven great-grandchildren: Kaitlin, Helen, Summer, Wyatt, Sawyer, Auggie, Weller and two soon to arrive; one sister, Dorothy Pohl of Lima; and two brothers-in-law, Robert Riepenhoff, Miller City, and Frank Cooke, Raleigh, N.C. He was preceded in death by his brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Clara Nadler; brother-in-law Dick Pohl; and two sisters-in-law, Rosemary Cooke and Marie Gallagher-Talty.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at St. Mary Catholic Church, Leipsic, with Fr. Randy Giesige officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery, with military rites by the Leipsic VFW and Legion. A visitation will be Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. with a K of C Rosary beginning at 7:30 at Love-Heitmeyer Funeral Home, Leipsic, and one hour prior to the service Wednesday at the church’s Parish Life Center.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Mary Catholic Church or Putnam County Hospice.
