A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS

MY dear friend Robert, who was a WWI German Pilot, was a gentle soul with a heart as pure as his white beard. After the war Robert migrated to the United States and had an illustrious career with Research Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin, retiring after 37 years of service in 1967. Robert resided with his wife and 5 children in Madison Wisconsin. They later moved to Lodi, and that is where I first met Robert.

Robert had a collection of sepia tone prints he had taken while serving as a Reconnaissance/Aerial Photographer in the German Airforce. We talked about converting them into slides so that he could share them with interested aviation enthusiasts. Being a member of the Civil Air Patrol, I thought this could provide him a venue to accomplish this. As our friendship progressed I found another side of this man. With his beard and a smile, he would transform into Santa Claus. In fact he became known as the “Lodi Santa” and would preside at the Lodi Library during the Christmas Season. He once remarked that children would pull on his white beard and be astonished that it was real and not like that of the ones worn by the Store Santa’s!

I knew it was Christmas when I would receive a phone call opening with “Ho, Ho, Ho”.  I would respond to this in the same manner and then he would say, “Acht Donnie, Fröhliche Weihnachten, (Merry Christmas)”.  Later in the morning he would make his annual stop at WIBA and be on the radio program with Jim Mader, a well-known host. Robert would play his precious Music Box which would play O’Tannenbaum. Robert would sing along and this became a tradition. Robert has left us now, but his voice still resides in my mind each Christmas. Jim Mader has passed away also and WIBA's radio format has changed to Fox Radio. Robert’s family still has the precious music box. 

Robert truly was a Man For All Seasons.