Robert Lee Lehr

Robert (Bob) Lee Lehr passed away on February 4, 2025, at Brookdale’s Memory Care in Leawood, KS at the age of 76. Born on November 13, 1948, in Wichita, KS, Bob was husband, father, grandfather, but most of all, a Christian.

At the beginning of a 38 year marriage to Carolyne Shackelford Lehr, Bob left his faith of origin, Catholicism, to become a Methodist. As a result, he became an avid Bible reader, and hosted a weekly Bible study in his home. He marveled that Protestants dressed up for church and that the “homilies” were like college lectures lasting 35 to 40 minutes each. In 1995 he became a member of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection where he never wanted to miss any of Reverend Adam Hamilton’s sermons.

Education was a big part of Bob’s life. An alumnus of Kapaun Catholic High School in Wichita, he went on to earn a degree in Technical Journalism from K-State where he enjoyed being a member of the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity. Later he attended the University of Kansas to earn his Dr. of Jurisprudence. He added a third college degree by earning an MBA from Rockhurst University.

During his career, Bob worked for several iconic Kansas City companies such as Hallmark, Western Auto, United Telephone, North Supply, and Deffenbaugh Waste Management. He practiced corporate law at AT&T in Austin, Texas, where he met wife, Carolyne. They named their first born, Austin, in honor of that special meeting.

Other than faith and family, Bob’s passion was baseball. To say he loved the sport was an understatement. An entire room in his home is dedicated to the sport. His collection of baseball cards and other memorabilia is nearly too numerous to count. Bob served for years as a youth baseball coach and referee. Both younger sons, Austin and Dillon, played baseball from age 4 all the way to adulthood. Under Bob’s tutelage they each excelled at the sport. Austin was a pitcher and homerun hitter. Dillon played college baseball for MidAmerica Nazarene University where he pitched and played a nearly flawless second base.

After retirement Bob took up writing. He self-published 3 novels: Consequences of Sin, Fade into the Past, and The Redhead. A fourth book was contemplated. This one was to be about baseball, but as his dementia progressed, this was not to be.

He is preceded in death by his parents as well as his sister, Sherry. He is survived by wife, Carolyne, sons: Shannon, Brett, Austin and Dillon as well as his sister Connie and four grandsons: Finnegan, Creighton, Keenan, and Jordan.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to The Prison Ministry Fund at Church of the Resurrection’s Foundation. No gift is too small.

A Celebration of Life Service for Robert will be held Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Church of the Resurrection, Wesley Chapel (Bldg C), 13720 Roe Avenue, Leawood, KS. The service will be livestreamed: cor.org/memorialsonline

Immediately following the service, a reception will be held at Tanner's Bar and Grill on the SE corner of Metcalf Avenue and 143rd St., Overland Park, KS. A dining room is reserved to the left of the entrance.

Robert will be laid to rest on Friday, February 28 at 1:30 PM in Leavenworth National Cemetery, 150 Muncie Road, Leavenworth, KS.