Robert "Bob" J. Handel

Robert “Bob” J. Handel, 70 of Elkhorn, WI, passed away on Monday, April 29, 2019 at his home in Elkhorn, WI surrounded by his family.  He was born January 14, 1949 in Madison, WI, the son to the late Joseph “Bud” and Ione (Jones) Handel.  Bob graduated from Barneveld High School in 1967 and from the University of Wisconsin Platteville Class of 1971. He is a lifetime member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity.  Bob married Mary Lee Didier on June 21, 1975 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Buffalo Grove, IL.  They are both active members of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Elkhorn, WI.  Bob was a member of the St. Patrick’s Guitar Group, as well as the chairman of the finance and endowment committees. He served as a member and past President of the Elkhorn Rotary Club.  Bob was formerly the treasurer of the Walworth County Dairy Promotion Committee.  He devotedly served as director and vice president of Walworth County Fair Board, as well as chairman for the Meat Animal Sales Committee. Bob was an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers and Elkhorn youth sports.  Bob started out his career as a branch manager working for Farm Credit Services from 1971 until 1986. He then began working with AXA Equitable Life Insurance in 1986. There he worked as a District Manager and Financial Consultant until his retirement in 2013. 

Bob maintained a strong and ever-present faith in God. He was a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather. Bob will be deeply missed by his wife of 43 years, Mary Lee, four children; Melissa (John) Bollinger of O’Fallon, IL, Julie (Brendan) Kelley of Cambridge, MA, Megan (Matt) Paddock of Elkhorn, WI and Robert (Tia) Handel of Elkhorn, WI, thirteen grandchildren; Ava, Ryan, Ben and Will Bollinger, Quinn and Ruby Kelley, Reid, Owen, Luke and Kate Paddock, Decker, Jones and Crew Handel, and 7 siblings; Dianne Zilley of Madison, WI, Kathleen (Tom) Thousand of Sauk City, WI, Julie (Hani) Malek of Cedarburg, WI, Lynn (Tom) Bendt of Sun Prairie, WI, Joanne Hendrickson of Blue Mounds, WI, James Handel of Barneveld, WI and Karla Handel of Madison, WI. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00AM on Friday, May 3, 2019 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 107 W. Walworth St. Elkhorn, WI, with Father Grant Thies officiating.  Visitation will be 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Homes and Crematory, 730 N. Wisconsin St. Elkhorn, WI.  Interment will be at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery in Elkhorn, WI. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Bob’s name to Walworth County Fair Foundation, P.O. Box 286 Elkhorn, WI or Aurora at Home Hospice, 103 N Dodge St. Burlington, WI. Online guest book is at www.haaselockwoodfhs.com.