Obituary for Robert W. Sonnen
Oak Creek, WI
Robert “Bob” Sonnen, age 82, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at Oak Park Place – Oak Creek, where he resided for 27 months. He was born on September 24, 1939, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the 2nd of 3 children of the late William and Carolyn Sonnen.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife & best friend for life, Dolores “Dee” (nee Wescott); children: Tammi, Bonnie (Bob) Fredrick, Susan (Gregg) Bolwerk, and Steven (Rachael); grandchildren: Heather (Eitan), Kira, Sean, Jasen (Miriam), Brooke, Jesse, Ryleigh, Brock, and Kaylee; great-grandchildren: Kendra and Tucker; sisters: Joanne (Gordon) Hoeft and Linda Sonnen; he will also be dearly missed by numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and lifelong friends.
After graduating from South Milwaukee High School in 1957, Bob attended Marquette University for electrical engineering, joined the US Air Force & Air National Guard, worked at Allen-Bradley Co., and then, Wisconsin Electric Power Company - retiring after 35 years in 1999. He excelled in his roles as Senior Electrical Engineering Technician - Energy Specialist & Field Engineer, among others. On the side - as a licensed electrician, Bob partnered with his father in their business, Sonnen Electric Service. The family recalls many times when Bob/Dad pointed at a subdivision, business, or home & said “I wired that...”and it was a shock (pun intended) for the children to grow up, leave home, and meet other people who did not have extra outlets, phone jacks, fans, & switches in. every. room. of. the. house! It was fun to gift our dad with shirts that said “WATT?” and “Retired Electrician - Nothing Shocks Me Anymore”! While Bob never mastered a smartphone or laptop, he was ahead of the curve in getting one of the first Toyota Prius hybrid cars, an Audiovox carphone (as big as a brick), GPS, flip phone, and Big Mouth Billy Bass. He loved gadgets & technology.
In a life lived fully, Bob found joy in spending time with his friends and family, taking trips to Rhinelander, Spooner, Chicago, Phoenix, Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, Florida, Jamaica, and other destinations that catered to his love for golf, fishing, casinos, or the hot sun. He also loved bowling in leagues and tournaments, being a member of Kiwanis Club, cooking, grilling, playing sheepshead, listening to music (we had a jukebox in the basement & the radio was always on), and supporting sports such as NASCAR, Milwaukee Brewers & Bucks, Green Bay Packers, WI Badgers, & the Harlem Globetrotters. Many of his friends were people he met playing the games that he loved.
Bob attended his high school reunions and had a weekly breakfast date with a loyal group of high school friends until some health problems got in the way. AND he liked Beer... & songs about beer... & recipes with beer... and he frequented places such as Spirits Bar & Grill, Kasper’s, & Hickory Inn. “Father Bob” is truly remembered as a very funny, witty, clever man and these traits have trickled down into the entire family line and across his circle of friends. If you knew him, you had fun and laughed with him.
A Celebration of Life/Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at Molthen-Bell Funeral Home at 700 Milwaukee Ave., South Milwaukee, WI 53172. Visitation will be from 1:00-3:00pm; Service is at 3:00 pm. We’d love to read some posts from the Memory Wall during the service, so please feel free to share a story or memory among the condolences.
Memorial donations may be made in Robert Sonnen’s name to a charity that is dear to you; otherwise, consider raising a glass in his honor.
The family wishes to send a special thank you to the staff at Oak Park Place – Oak Creek (memory care) and St. Croix Hospice for their wonderful care and compassion. We appreciate OPP-OC for facilitating 90 weeks of virtual visits on Skype and allowing in-person visits, too. Extraordinary indebtedness is felt for Mike Fairall, Raymond Bernas, Wayne & Agnes Kohnke for staying in touch with Bob... you are family. Finally, Dee Sonnen is recognized by her children and deeply thanked for the in-home care given to Bob (daddy) before he went into nursing care.
A recording of the service is available on the Molthen-Bell Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/133700188/videos/508878804251189/
Robert “Bob” Sonnen, age 82, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at Oak Park Place – Oak Creek, where he resided for 27 months. He was born on September 24, 1939, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the 2nd of 3 children of the late William and Carolyn Sonnen.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife & best friend for life, Dolores “Dee” (nee Wescott); children: Tammi, Bonnie (Bob) Fredrick, Susan (Gregg) Bolwerk, and Steven (Rachael); grandchildren: Heather (Eitan), Kira, Sean, Jasen (Miriam), Brooke, Jesse, Ryleigh, Brock, and Kaylee; great-grandchildren: Kendra and Tucker; sisters: Joanne (Gordon) Hoeft and Linda Sonnen; he will also be dearly missed by numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and lifelong friends.
After graduating from South Milwaukee High School in 1957, Bob attended Marquette University for electrical engineering, joined the US Air Force & Air National Guard, worked at Allen-Bradley Co., and then, Wisconsin Electric Power Company - retiring after 35 years in 1999. He excelled in his roles as Senior Electrical Engineering Technician - Energy Specialist & Field Engineer, among others. On the side - as a licensed electrician, Bob partnered with his father in their business, Sonnen Electric Service. The family recalls many times when Bob/Dad pointed at a subdivision, business, or home & said “I wired that...”and it was a shock (pun intended) for the children to grow up, leave home, and meet other people who did not have extra outlets, phone jacks, fans, & switches in. every. room. of. the. house! It was fun to gift our dad with shirts that said “WATT?” and “Retired Electrician - Nothing Shocks Me Anymore”! While Bob never mastered a smartphone or laptop, he was ahead of the curve in getting one of the first Toyota Prius hybrid cars, an Audiovox carphone (as big as a brick), GPS, flip phone, and Big Mouth Billy Bass. He loved gadgets & technology.
In a life lived fully, Bob found joy in spending time with his friends and family, taking trips to Rhinelander, Spooner, Chicago, Phoenix, Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, Florida, Jamaica, and other destinations that catered to his love for golf, fishing, casinos, or the hot sun. He also loved bowling in leagues and tournaments, being a member of Kiwanis Club, cooking, grilling, playing sheepshead, listening to music (we had a jukebox in the basement & the radio was always on), and supporting sports such as NASCAR, Milwaukee Brewers & Bucks, Green Bay Packers, WI Badgers, & the Harlem Globetrotters. Many of his friends were people he met playing the games that he loved.
Bob attended his high school reunions and had a weekly breakfast date with a loyal group of high school friends until some health problems got in the way. AND he liked Beer... & songs about beer... & recipes with beer... and he frequented places such as Spirits Bar & Grill, Kasper’s, & Hickory Inn. “Father Bob” is truly remembered as a very funny, witty, clever man and these traits have trickled down into the entire family line and across his circle of friends. If you knew him, you had fun and laughed with him.
A Celebration of Life/Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at Molthen-Bell Funeral Home at 700 Milwaukee Ave., South Milwaukee, WI 53172. Visitation will be from 1:00-3:00pm; Service is at 3:00 pm. We’d love to read some posts from the Memory Wall during the service, so please feel free to share a story or memory among the condolences.
Memorial donations may be made in Robert Sonnen’s name to a charity that is dear to you; otherwise, consider raising a glass in his honor.
The family wishes to send a special thank you to the staff at Oak Park Place – Oak Creek (memory care) and St. Croix Hospice for their wonderful care and compassion. We appreciate OPP-OC for facilitating 90 weeks of virtual visits on Skype and allowing in-person visits, too. Extraordinary indebtedness is felt for Mike Fairall, Raymond Bernas, Wayne & Agnes Kohnke for staying in touch with Bob... you are family. Finally, Dee Sonnen is recognized by her children and deeply thanked for the in-home care given to Bob (daddy) before he went into nursing care.
A recording of the service is available on the Molthen-Bell Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/133700188/videos/508878804251189/