Leonard Robert “Bob” Triplette

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    Leonard Robert “Bob” Triplette was born Aug. 14, 1937, in Wood River, Nebraska, on his grandparents’ farm. He died at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins on Jan. 12, 2021, at the age of 83.
    He moved with his family to Fort Morgan when he was a baby. In 1943 the family moved south of Holyoke to the George Garland Ranch in the Pleasant Valley community. Bob said that when they moved in, there was a cream separator sitting in the middle of the kitchen and no electricity.
    Bob attended school at Pleasant Valley and Amitie schools, where he walked to school, uphill, both ways … in the snow. Bob worked for several families while growing up. He was in 4-H for a number of years and told the story of the 4-H calves he and his brother raised. They decided their dad needed to see one of the calves, so they brought it into the living room — they were sent out of the house in one big hurry!
    In 1954, Bob went to live with his grandmother in Fort Morgan where he worked for Arnold Transfer, which was owned by his Uncle Ralph and Aunt Marie. He also worked for his Uncle Jack at Great Western Sugar Co. in Fort Morgan.
    In 1956, Bob moved to Fremont, Ohio, to again work with his Uncle Jack at GWS. On his trip to Ohio, he was escorted by his future mother-in-law, who was hopeful he wouldn’t return — but thank goodness he did!
    In 1957 he began farming, and during sugar beet harvest he would run beet pilers for GWS at several local pile grounds. He later decided to raise beets himself, which he loved doing. Bob was always ready to help out a neighbor.
    He also worked at the Brandon Elevator for Ronnie Stewart and at Russ Callies’ fuel station in Venango, Nebraska. Bob was a member of the farmers co-op, and he served on the board for several years.
    On June 12, 1957, Bob and Ardyth Weers were married at the Zion Lutheran Church in Holyoke, where Bob later became a member. To this union four children were born: Robert Linn, who died shortly after birth, Rustin Lee, Jacqueline Kay and Roger Dean. Bob and Ardyth made their home on the family farm south of Venango, where they lived for the next 63 years.
    As a family they raised many different irrigated and dryland crops, also raising cattle, sheep and hogs. Art said it would be grounds for divorce if he got goats, so they didn’t raise goats.
    Bob enjoyed going to the pool hall and playing cards and visiting with friends when it didn’t interfere with his hunting and fishing trips. Bob loved the game of softball, and he was a fastball pitcher for many years.
    His kids loved it when he was up to bat because they knew he would hit balls over the outfield fence and they would return them for a dime each. Bob’s batting gave the kids extra money for candy at the games. The time he hit nine foul balls in a row, the ump told him he was going to have to start paying out of his own pocket!
    He also played on the Brandon Bombers semipro baseball team and coached the local boys baseball team for many years. He wasn’t about to miss the grandchildren’s sporting events, often traveling great distances, in bad weather, just to cheer them on.
    Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Mabel (Senseney) and Joe Triplette; stepmother, Mabel (Martin-Schiermeyer); infant son, Robert Linn Triplette; brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Mae Triplette; brother-in-law, Paul Webster; stepsister and brother-in-law, Jeanette and Johnnie King; and stepbrother-in-law, Delmer Milner.
    Survivors include his wife, Ardyth “Art”; son, Rusty and Sandy of Holyoke; daughter, Jacque of Brule, Nebraska; son, Roger and Amy of Brule; grandchildren, Jennifer and Steve Willard of Superior, Michael and Casey Newth of Greeley, Kelsey and Jeff Jackson of Dickinson, North Dakota, Tessa Triplette of Brule, and Brenna Triplette of Brule; great-grandchildren, AJ and Owen Tennessen, Kaitlyn and Kenadie Newth, and Braxton, Brinley and Kane Jackson; sister, Vonnie Webster and Gary Cranwell; sister-in-law, Gwen Triplette; brother-in-law, Delbert and Mary Ann Weers; stepsister, Wilma Milner; stepbrother, Bill Schiermeyer; and several nieces, nephews, family and friends.
    A private family graveside service will be held Jan. 23 at the Holyoke Cemetery, with Pastor Kurt Hatteberg officiating. The service will be livestreamed on Baucke Funeral Home and Monuments’ Facebook page.
    Memorials can be mailed to Bob Triplette Memorial Fund, c/o Baucke Funeral Home, 1220 SW Interocean Dr., Holyoke, CO 80734.
    Baucke Funeral Home directed the arrangements.

 

The Imperial Republican

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