Robert "Bob" Dean Rettig, 89, of Mansfield, passed away at UH Samaritan Medical Center on Thursday, July 28, 2022. Bob was born on March 23, 1933, in Mansfield, Ohio, and was the son of Walter and Naomi (Reed) Rettig.
Bob graduated from Mansfield Senior High School in 1951. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy during the Korean War and was stationed in Guantanamo Bay. After his return from military service, Bob married his high school sweetheart, Donna Tucker Friday and joined the Mansfield Fire Department as a firefighter. On February 5, 1988, he retired from the Department as a Captain.
A loving and active grandfather, Bob loved spending time with his grandchildren. A sports fan, he could be heard cheering for his favorite teams: the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns, and The Ohio State Buckeyes. He was an active and faithful member of First English Lutheran Church, assisting the church in the sound booth for decades. Bob enjoyed fishing with his grandchildren, playing cards, golfing, and hunting. He was an outstanding handyman and woodworker. In his later years, he was an avid joke teller, keeping his family, friends, and the staff at Primrose Retirement Community entertained.
Bob is survived by his children, Michael “Mick” (Melinda “Peach”) Rettig and Steven Rettig, all of Mansfield; his grandchildren, Sara (Kyle) Dawson of Lexington, Kentucky and Andrew (Ashleigh) Rettig of Tallahassee, Florida; his great-grandchildren, Laura Jane Dawson and Jack Dawson; and his sister-in-law, Barbara Rettig of Mansfield. He was preceded in death by his parents and loving wife; his brother, Donald Rettig; mother-in-law, Mabel Tucker Bowersock; father-in-law, Leslie Tucker; adoptive father-in-law and mother-in-law, Velma and Edward Friday; and sister-in-law, Grace Jones.
Services will be held at a later date. The Wappner Cremation Center is honored to serve the Rettig family.
