Robert "Bob"

Oetter

Orchard —Robert "Bob" Oetter, 71, of Orchard, died Monday, April 1, 2024 at Faith Regional Hospital in Norfolk.

Celebration of life visitation was held Thursday, April 4, 2024 at Beyer Snider Memorial Funeral Home in Neligh.

A celebration of life party was held Friday, April 5, 2024 at Oakdale Community Center in Oakdale. 

Memorials may be made to the family for future designation.

Bob was born Jan. 24, 1953 at Neligh, third child, first son of four children. Two older sisters Ann and Kathy welcomed him home and two years later came the fourth child and second son Don.

He grew up in Neligh and ran around with many friends also in the surrounding areas of Oakdale, Tilden, Meadow Grove, Elgin, Norfolk; literally every town in the five to six counties surrounding.

He made a vast amount of friends in those times. A lot of them, life long friends. He graduated from Neligh High School in 1971 and by that time had decided he was going to be a wanderer. He had developed an itch and his feet had become restless to roam.

He experienced the movie "Easy Rider" and that was the last straw. It was now in his blood. He started traveling all over the country. Truck driving, wheat harvest, pick up truck, motorcycle, hitchhiking; (Walked across Montana once but that is a different story some people already know).

Bob had known his wife Jeri Sanne since they were kids. The first time he noticed her was in church when they were children and he developed a childhood crush. He grew into his late teens years running around making memories with his many friends, and on his 19th birthday he met a 15 year old girl from Elgin Debby Meyers; and this started a lifelong love. They were together for a while and then went their separate ways. Then when she was 20 and he was 24 they came to be together again. Found they were still in love. They were together at that time until the "wonder lust" touched his feet again. And at the end of that year he showed up, snow falling in huge flakes falling straight down from the sky and said he was leaving again. There were never bitter goodbyes. They always parted ways with a calm understanding of how their love was. They went their separate ways again.

He married Jeri in 1978 the girl he had a crush on from childhood. And they had their daughter Samantha in 1982. Deb married also and their lives went on. 

Bob became many things. He was an expert carpenter, a mason and master concrete finisher, did some logging, became a foreman and ranch hand raising highlander cattle and rottweilers on the ranch.

He and Jeri divorced in 1987,  he remained her life long friend and stayed a true dad to their daughter Samantha. He adored her. She was his shining achievement in life. 

He had roamed and settled in Washington state. But in 1997 he decided to return to Nebraska where upon the wonderment of life's happenings, he and Deb connected again 18 years later. She had married and divorced and had six children that they raised together along with Samantha who joined them when she was 14. They had reconnected the day before Mother's Day in 1997 when Deb was 40 and he was 44. And he started a new adventure and new journey as father and papa. 

During that time he worked concrete for Ron Petersen, Don Murray and Brett Morrison as builder and fabricator. 

Deb and Bob were together every day for the next 27 years until Bob's leaving once again for the last time on April 1st, 2024. Deb was by his side. Finally letting him go again with love on his last journey alone. His last words being "Hey, I love you, you know." This time though, he left her in tears. Taking her heart from her chest along with him. 

Bob is survived by his ex-wife Jeri (John) Valenta of Kiln, MS; their daughter Samantha Oetter and fiance Cody Duprey of Pass Christian, MS; Melanie Detlefsen (Jeremy Cleavland) of Orchard, Lindsay (Andy) Imus of Albion, Dustin (Molly) Robertson of Hickman, Cameron (Megan) Classen and Catarina Meyer (Chancy Stewart), all of Orchard; his soulmate, partner, companion and mother of the children they raised together Deb (Meyers) Laible of Orchard; two sisters Ann Miller (Bill, Also a life long friend) of Kansas City, MO, and Kathy (Royce) Wollberg  of Melrose, WI; one brother Don (Jacque) Oetter of Creighton; nieces and nephews Jeffrey (Linda) Wollberg, Amy (Derek) Hamack, Anna (Brian) Simmons  and her children Blake, Kale, Aubree and Cam, Stephanie Miller, Sarah Miller and her children Haylee and Taylor.; many, many numerous friends and one special long best friend Frank Flenniken of Neligh; his 18 grandkids Destiny Detlefsen, Gavin Gilsdorf, Pyper Ertz; Jacob Tabbert, Autumn Imus (fiance Steven Frisch, Walker Robertson, Ashton Imus, Avery Imus, Porter, Karley and Kayla Roberston, Oakland Classen, Jeremy, Payton, Honor, Izaak, Meyer and River Mefferd; and three great-grandchildren Lakkin, Paxten and Aspen Matthies. 

He was preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents; parents James and Lois Oetter; parents-in-law Less and Fern Farris and Gene Meyers; ex-father-in-law Stan Sanne; one stepson Jeremy Miller; one great-granddaughter Lyllian Hovious; and a sad number of some of those close childhood friends.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.beyersnider memorialfh.com.