Robert “Bob” Thomas Burley passed away at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, at Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home in Fort Wayne at the age of 90. Bob was a former longtime resident of Winona Lake and most recently of North Manchester.
He was born on Nov. 22, 1929, in Berne, 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 Aug. 8, 2017, at the age of 92.
Bob was a resident of Kosciusko County for the past 61 years, and he graduated from high school in Berne 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; son, Tom (Jennifer) Burley, Warsaw; and three grandchildren: Jena (Chris) Fahlbush, Indianapolis; Marco Simpson, Indianapolis; and Jillian Burley, Bloomington.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife and 10 older siblings.
Bob’s life will be celebrated with a funeral service at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 3 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, and officiated by Pastor Rick Hurley. Friends and family may visit prior to the service from 9 to 11 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.
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Memorials to Winona Lake Free Methodist Church, 902 College Ave., Winona Lake, IN 46590; or to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home, 5910 Homestead Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46814 and would be appreciated by the family.
Online condolences may be sent through the funeral home’s website at www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com.
