Robert S. “Bob” Lathrop “Smokey” was born August 23, 1927 and entered eternal life on Thursday, October 24, 2019.
He was the son of Jess and Alma (Lehman) Lathrop. On August 20, 1955, Bob was united in marriage to Bette I. Granger in New London. Together they ran the family farm retiring in 1989. Bob was an employee of the New London Feed Mill for over 20 years. He was also an active member of the Hortonville Rural Fire Department for 23 years and an AMPI Director for five years. He started the Log Cabin Pioneers 4-H Club and was a 4-H Leader in Outagamie County for 15 years. In 1966, he was elected Vice-President and in 1967 President of the Outagamie County Leaders Association. Bob was an active bowler since he was 23 and was President of the Mixed Senior’s Bowling League. He was a member and helper of a handicap group “Challenge the Outdoors” and also “Fishing Has No Boundaries”. He enjoyed watching the Packers, Brewers, Bucks, and supported New London Bulldogs and Lake Holcombe Chieftains sports. Bob also loved to play canasta with family and friends. He enjoyed cutting firewood and cut about 50 face cord every year. He did a lot of woodworking making cardinals, Wisconsin Badgers and Packer bird feeders. He mowed 5-6 lawns every summer; he always said “I enjoy it.” “It’s better than sitting in the big chair and watching TV.” Bob plowed his long driveway every winter and many of his neighbor’s driveways too. He had a large garden every summer and loved to can pickles and tomatoes. He spent the last two years creating “Peter’s Park” to memorialize his late son.
Bob is survived by his daughter Joy (Scott) Webster; sons, Mark (Melanie) and Terry (Tracy); daughter-in-law Sue Lathrop; granddaughters: Jenny (Colin) Mitchell, Nikki (Levi) Allen, and Kayla (Brett) Polczynski and Molly and Morgan Webster and a grandson Brady Webster; great-grandchildren: Austin, Emma and Riley Allen. He is further survived by several nieces, nephews, other relatives and special friends. He is preceded in death by his parents; two infant children, Dawn Christine and Dale Matthew; wife Bette; sons, Kevin and Peter; brothers: (twins) Herbert and Harold, Kenneth and Melvin and a sister Francis.
Funeral services for Bob will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, New London with Rev. Vicki Fink officiating. Visitation will be held on Friday, November 1, from 4-7 p.m. at the Cline & Hanson Funeral Home and also at the church on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Burial will be in the Floral Hill Cemetery, New London. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for the Challenge the Outdoors handicap group. The Cline & Hanson Funeral Home in New London is serving the family. www.clinehansonfuneralhome.com