Robert B. “Bob” Roos went to be with the Lord on June 1, 2020 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha following a brief illness. He was 68.
Bob was born on December 27, 1951 in Denver, Colorado. Soon after his birth, he moved to Chadron, NE. His parents were Warren and Ruth (Wirth) Roos. He attended Chadron High School where he was active in band, basketball and foreign languages, graduating in 1969. He studied Spanish and sociology at Chadron State College and graduated in 1973. A highlight of his college years was his trip to Salamanca, Spain to study.
On September 13, 1975, he married Kathleen Hoover and they raised four children, Jonathan, Joshua, Joel and Joy. They lived in Chadron for 13 years where Bob worked as a manager at the Chuck Wagon Restaurant and then as a pastor in the Chadron Community Church. They left Chadron to spend four years in Chilpancingo de los Bravo, Mexico and the surrounding villages, ministering with the local church. Upon their return to the US in 1992, they settled in Lexington, NE where Bob continued his ministry by founding Hispanic churches and, in recent years, working in healing groups such as Desert Stream Ministries for the Relationally Broken.
He also worked in Dawson, Buffalo, Hall and other county courts as an interpreter and he taught classes in interpretation at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. He was widely recognized as being an excellent interpreter and ensuring that those he represented were well understood. Additionally, Bob took great pride in his constant advocacy for excellence in service of those requiring interpretation that resulted in working with the Nebraska Supreme Court to institute certification requirements within the state, making it one of the first such states in the country.
Bob’s dad took him fishing for the first time when he was around four, beginning a life-long love for stream, creek, lake and pond fishing. He nearly always had a fishing pole in the car and would stop to fish if he had even a short time. He taught all of his kids to fish and was even known to keep fish in the bathtub at one time.
Bob loved to hunt, was a Nebraska Husker fan and an avid reader with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and new ideas. He was a thoughtful family man and friend who sought out the perfect birthday card for each person, sometimes sending multiple cards. Bob never knew a stranger as he loved to try to assist people with any problems they may have.
Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Kathleen, of Lexington, NE, sons Jon (Carrie) of Redondo Beach, CA, Josh (Liz) of San Clemente, CA, and Joel of Spokane, WA, daughter Joy of Columbia, MO, grandchildren Paul, Lauren, and Benjamin, sister Linda Roos (Steven Wallace) of Bloomington, IN, and brother Larry of Lincoln, NE, one sister-in-law Nancy Sprock (Jerry) of Salem, MO, brothers-in-law Mark Hoover of Sheridan, WY and Mike (Donna) Hoover of Sheridan, WY.
He was preceded in death by his parents Warren and Ruth Roos.
Visitation will be held Sunday, June 7, 2020 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington. The visitation will also be live streamed on the Reynolds Love Facebook page.
A Celebration of Life will be held during the summer of 2021 due to the COVID epidemic. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Calvary Assembly Of God Church in Lexington or the Chadron Community Church.
Bob’s family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the staff of UNMC for their care of Bob during his illness.
Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements. Please share online condolences with the family by visiting: reynoldslovefunerahome.com