Robert "Bob" Thomas Burley

Robert “Bob” Thomas Burley passed away at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 29, 2019 at Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the age of 90.  Bob was a former longtime resident of Winona Lake, Indiana and most recently of North Manchester, Indiana. 

He was born on November 22, 1929 in Berne, Indiana to Rachel (Hirschy) Burley and Carl Drummond Burley.  On July 30, 1950 he was married at Pandora Missionary Church in Pandora, Ohio to Amy Lucile (Leightner) Burley.  They shared 67 years of marriage together before she passed away on August 8, 2017 at the age of 92.

Bob was a resident of Kosciusko County, Indiana for the past 61 years, and he graduated from high school in Berne, Indiana in 1947.  He attended Bible college and later business college in Fort Wayne.  In 1950 he joined the U.S. Army serving as a corporal until his honorable discharge in 1952.  Bob worked as a mail clerk at Lake City Bank from 1965 until his retirement in 2000.  He loved to build things and enjoyed being outside doing maintenance.  He had a heart for helping others when he could and even volunteered his time and skills to help with outside maintenance at church and for his neighbors.  He was a longstanding member of Winona Lake Free Methodist Church and will be dearly missed by his family and church family. 

He will be lovingly remembered by his daughter:  Carol Simpson (Indianapolis, Indiana); son:  Tom (Jennifer) Burley (Warsaw, Indiana); and three grandchildren:  Jena (Chris) Fahlbush (Indianapolis, Indiana); Marco Simpson (Indianapolis, Indiana); and Jillian Burley (Bloomington, Indiana).  He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, and ten older siblings.            

Bob’s life will be celebrated with a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 3, 2020 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana and officiated by Pastor Rick Hurley.  Friends and family may visit prior to the service from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home.  Burial will follow with a graveside service at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw with military rites conducted by the American Legion Post #49, V.F.W. 1126, and active duty members of the Army Honor Guard. 

Memorial donations in Bob’s name may be directed to Winona Lake Free Methodist Church, 902 College Avenue, Winona Lake, Indiana  46590; or to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home, 5910 Homestead Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana  46814 and would be appreciated by the family.

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