Robert Lee Stitzel came into this world on January 18, 1932 in Longmont, Colorado, born to Ralph and Myra Stitzel of Longmont. He grew up in Longmont and also spent many summers in the Meeker Park area and spending time in his beloved Colorado mountains. At the age of nine he began delivering papers on his bicycle, winter and summer, for the Longmont Times Call, ranging out as far as Hover Road. He attended Central Grade School in Longmont and graduated from Longmont High School in 1949.
After graduation, Bob worked for McKie Transfer in Longmont until enlisting in the Navy in 1951. He did his basic training in San Diego, California, after which he was assigned to serve on the USS Comstock LSD in the Korean conflict. While in the Navy, he married Jo Frankie Wells of Longmont, Colorado. Five children were born to this union; Laurie, Larry, Robert Jr., Douglas, and Jerry. After serving four years in the Navy, he and his family returned to Longmont where he resumed working at his former job at McKie Transfer. The company was subsequently purchased by Lang Trucking, then later absorbed into NW Transport, where he was transferred first to Golden, Colorado to maintain NW trucks at Coors Brewing Company, then to the main NW Terminal in Commerce City, Colorado.
After his first marriage ended, Bob moved back to Longmont, but continued to work at the NW Transport Terminal in Commerce City. In 1970, he met Faye Ann Winters of Lyons, Colorado, and they were married in 1972. Faye was a Pharmacy receptionist at Bi Rite Pharmacy, so Bob always told people that when he met her she was pushing drugs. Their marriage added four children to his family; Roy (Tom), Michelle, Rodney (Bodie), and Bonnie Winters. In 1984, NW Transport assigned Bob to manage truck maintenance operations at their new terminal in Phoenix, Arizona, so he and Faye relocated to the Phoenix area, where they lived until Bob's retirement in 1998. All together, Bob worked in the trucking industry for 50 years.
After he retired, Bob and Faye moved to Osborne, Kansas to care for Faye's parents, where they lived for 15 years. While in Kansas, they loved to travel and camp in their fifth-wheel camper, spending vacations in Arizona and Texas and working with the volunteer missions group at area churches, church camps, childrens' homes, and Indian reservations in South Dakota making repairs to their facilities. Bob loved serving the Lord in everything he did, whether at home or away. He had a strong and contagious faith in andn love for Jesus that was admired by his friends and family. In 2014, Bob and Faye returned to Colorado to be near family and Bob's beloved mountains, settling in Mead, where he lived until December 10, 2024, when he relocated one final time to his eternal home in paradise to be with his beloved Lord and Savior, Jesus.
Bob left to mourn his greatest fan and loving wife of 52 years, Faye, brother John Stitzel of Firestone, Colorado, children Laurie Jean Oliver of Louisville, Colorado, Douglas Edward Stitzel of Littleton, Colorado, Jerry Allen Stitzel (Jennifer) of Louisville, Colorado, Michelle Lynn DeSaveur (John) of Red Lodge, Montana, Rodney (Bodie) Eugene Winters of McHenry, North Dakota, and Bonnie Faye Winters of Ashley, Nebraska, as well as thirteen grandchildren, many great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild, nieces, nephews, and many dear friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Myra Stitzel, father-in-law and mother-in-law Earl and Nita Eaton, sister-in-law Betty Stitzel, infant son Larry Joe Stitzel, son Robert Lee Stitzel Jr., step-son Roy Thomas Winters, and step-grandchildren Michael Salt and Debra and Sierra Winters. His family is currently planning his celebration of life.
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