Robert A. Drew

Robert A. Drew, fondly known as Bob or Bobby, 71, passed away on August 30, 2021 after a valiant fight against esophageal cancer at his home in Kansas City, Kansas. He was born January 31, 1950 in Kansas City, Kansas to Albert J. and Mary T. Drewitske. Bob married Sarah E. Drew on February 20, 1993 at White Church Christian Church in Kansas City, Kansas. They celebrated 28 years of marriage this past February. Bob was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Margaret A. Belcher. He is survived by wife, Sarah; daughter, Brittney T. Drew of Kansas City, Kansas; stepchildren, Kenneth L. Roland and wife Angela of Dallas, Texas and Brandi R. Henderson and husband Bryan of Kansas City, Kansas; grandchildren, Bailey Henderson, Braxton Henderson, and Kennedi Pierce; nieces, Tina Bridge and husband Dean of Kansas City, Kansas and Denise Dehamers and husband Ben of Olathe, Kansas. Bob’s visitation will begin at 10:00am with service to follow at 11:30am on Saturday, September 11, 2021 at White Church Christian Church, 2200 N 85th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 66109. This service will also be available live on Chapel Hill-Butler’s Facebook Page. Please log on to facebook.com/chapelhillbutler to view the service. Shortly before the appointed time, the livestream will begin. If you do not see the livestream on your screen, please refresh your page. You may also need to scroll down to view the service. Burial and a celebration of life luncheon will follow at Chapel Hill-Butler Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 701 N. 94th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 66112. Please respect the family’s wishes that masks be worn properly at all times during the visitation, funeral service and burial service.

Bob started working very young for the Kansas City, Kansas newspaper at age 12. At age 14, he started working part-time at Midwest Envelope Company in Kansas City, Missouri where his father was Superintendent. While going to Washington High School, he worked after school at Midwest Envelope Company as a die-cutter until midnight until graduation in 1968.

After high school, Bob went to work for Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) as a carman. After one year, he went to truck driving school in Dodge City, Kansas and went to work for Pizza Hut as a driver/installer building Pizza Huts all over the United States driving a semi-truck full of equipment for the job. Bob returned to UPRR where he worked for 15 more years. In 1978, he left UPRR to start his own business, B+B Merchandise on 3rd and Kansas Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas selling surplus building materials. He acquired 27 rental properties which he managed while operating B+B six days a week, liquidating the rentals while building his business and a new home. After running B+B Merchandise for 16 years, he liquidated the business and sold the property at 3rd and Kansas Avenue.

Bob then received a job offer from Randy Willbanks, owner of Patriot Surplus, as a Warehouse Superintendent. Within a year, Bob was promoted to General Manager of all truck loading and routing, truck repairs and maintenance, building maintenance, repairs, demolition and rehabilitation of the front of the building to prepare for new offices and a showroom. He did all of this while taking orders from all field employees and clients as well as managing the day-to-day operations.

After 12 years and reaching the age of 66, Bob retired from Patriot Surplus, his third retirement – one from UPRR, one from B+B, and one from Patriot Surplus. He took some time off to travel. After some time, he got a call from his good friend and former boss, Randy Willbanks, to meet at Famous Dave’s, where they always went when something was “cooking”. Randy made Bob a job offer to be a Project Manager and Superintendent building multi-family dwellings which were in great demand, but it was also something he had never done. Randy shared with Bob that he was a quick study and with him being bored with retirement... Randy said the previous Superintendent would walk him through everything before he left. To Bob’s surprise, on the third day, the old Superintendent handed him an armload of building plans and permits and said “Good luck, Bob”, got in his truck and left the property. Randy and Bob have since built over 50 4-plexes together.