Robert D. "Bob" Engle died on Feb. 9 at Ellinwood District Hospital in Ellinwood. He was born on Dec. 25, 1929, in Ransom, to Oscar V. and Florence E. (Combest) Engle.

Bob moved to Great Bend at the age of 7 and had been a resident since.

He graduated from Great Bend High School in 1948. Bob married Virginia Armstrong on Nov. 13, 1948, in Topeka. She passed away on Feb. 5, 1974. Bob then married Sharon (Williams) Shewbart on March 21, 1975. Bob was involved in several activities, especially baseball, including Ban Johnson Baseball in Great Bend and Ellinwood Town Team Baseball area leagues. He played and managed both men’s and women’s fast- and slow-pitch softball teams. His last years were with the local "famous" slow-pitch Salty Dogs team. Bob also coached his children in both baseball and softball. He served as an officer on the Great Bend Panther Club Board and the Barton Cougar Booster Club.

Bob and Leroy Foos were co-founders and organizers of the Sunflower Rod and Custom Association (SRCA) in 1953. He was a member of various career and professional organizations as well as a member of First Christian Church in Great Bend. He served in the National Guard during the Korean War. Bob worked for his dad, Oscar Engle Construction Company until 1957. He then went to work for Evans, Bierly and Hutchison and Associates until 1976. He operated Bob Engle Construction/Land Surveyors and worked until 1980 when he then served as the building official for the City of Great Bend until 1990.

Bob ended his years of service in August of 2002 after returning to EBH in 1990.

Bob is survived by his wife, Sharon of the home; three sons: Lynn Engle and wife Diane, Great Bend; Ryan Engle and wife Rita, Great Bend; and Larry Engle and wife Gail of Las Vegas, Nev.; six daughters: Brenda Sauer and husband Ron; Terri Jo Rand and husband John; and Carla Jo Ann Warren, all of Oklahoma City, Okla.; Carrie Shewbart, Keller, Texas; Karla Schartz and husband Bert, Larned; and Connie Williams and husband Keith, Great Bend; one brother, Rod Engle and wife Jan, Lee’s Summit, Mo.; cousin Dorothy Gile, Wichita; 14 grandchildren: Tyler Rand, Great Bend; Auston Brown and wife Molly, Hutchinson; Dustin Brown and wife Tara, Great Bend; Jessica Warren, Norman, Okla.; Marvin Warren, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Jenny Ramsey and husband Ben, Larned; Cody Engle and wife Kristi, Great Bend; Tricia Smith and husband Justin, Larned; Tyrone Shewbart and wife Amber, Great Bend; Robert Shewbart and wife Galina Nixon, Great Bend, Kristin Schartz, Larned; Bailey Schartz, Larned; Ryan Alefs, Great Bend; and Shelly Ramsey, Great Bend; and great-grandchildren: Brayden Powell Rand, Great Bend; Annastasia and Johnnell Edwards, Norman, Okla.; Lilly Morrison, Great Bend; Khloe Smith, Larned; and Gage Fritz, Spencer Brown, Sapphire Shewbart, Nina Shewbart, Brooklyn Ramsey, and Gentry Ramsey, all of Great Bend. He was preceded in death by one great-grandson, Brodie James Shewbart.

Memorial service will be at 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 21 at the First Christian Church in Great Bend. The Rev. William F. Johnson will officiate. Cremation has taken place. The family will receive friends from 7-8 p.m., Tuesday, March 20, in the church parlor. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to First Christian Church Parsonage Fund or Ellinwood District Hospital Bed Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Visit www.bryantfh.net to leave personal condolences for the family.