Robert "Bob" E. Ginger
August 14, 1933 - December 23, 2019

Robert Eugene "Bob" Ginger, the son of George Ginger and Kathryn Reavis, was born in Walnut Township, Iowa, on August 14, 1933, and entered into rest on December 23, 2019, at Omaha, Nebraska, at the age of 86.

Bob grew up in Shenandoah, graduating with the class of 1951. While in high school, he was a two-sport Mustang varsity letterman in football and basketball. Bob's talents were not limited to the playing field, as he was also a member of the chorus and was selected to the all-state choir. Upon graduation, Bob briefly attended Drake University on a football and ROTC scholarship. In June of 1952, Bob entered into the U.S. Air Force. During his time in the military, he was stationed at the Thule Air Base in Thule, Greenland, for one year. Bob was then stationed at the Lincoln Air Force Base in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he served until his honorable discharge in June of 1956.

On February 14, 1954, he was united in marriage to Barbara Ann "Bobbie" Cleaveland at the St. John's Episcopal Church in Shenandoah. After their marriage, they lived in Lincoln, Nebraska, until Bob's discharge from the Air Force. They moved back to Shenandoah for a short time where Bob worked for Central Surveys and later Kitchen Klatter. Work transferred Bob and family to Independence, Missouri, for 6 years, then to St. Joseph, Missouri, for 4 years, moving back to Shenandoah in 1973. Upon returning to Shenandoah, until his retirement in 1998, Bob was an account representative for a wholesale pharmaceutical distributor. Bob would remain in Shenandoah for most of the rest of his life, moving to the Richmont Independent Living Retirement Community in Bellevue, Nebraska, after Bobbie passed in 2017. Bob was a member of the St. John's Episcopal Church in Shenandoah.

Bob liked to play cribbage and was usually the winner of the best two-of-three matches; he was an avid reader; he liked shooting pool if it was snooker; he loved traveling, especially to the Western part of the U.S.; he followed the ISU Cyclones, the Iowa Hawkeyes (in that order), and the KC Chiefs & Royals; and he developed a passion for biking, and participated in several RAGBRAI rides with his family. He was a frequent rider on the Wabash Trace as well as most of the highways and back roads in the Shenandoah area. A member of the Optimist Club, he was proud of the work they did for the community. Bob was also a member of the American Legion. Most of all, Bob loved his family and looked forward to family gatherings.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and step-father; two brothers Donovan and Edward; one sister Judith. He leaves behind his two sons, Scott Ginger and wife Sandra of Las Vegas, Nevada; Tracey Ginger and wife Sharon of Papillion, Nebraska; five grandchildren, Tony Ginger and wife Molli, Andy Ginger, Courtney Ginger, Jack Ginger and wife Ashley, and Nicholas Ginger; great grandchildren Carter and Kaylin; sister Karen Wagner of Overland Park, Kansas; several nieces, nephews, other relatives, and a host of friends.

Celebration of life funeral service will be held 10:00 a.m., Saturday, January 4, 2020 at the Hackett-Livingston Funeral Home in Shenandoah. Visitation with the family will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Friday, January 3, 2020 at the funeral home. Burial with military rites will be held at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Shenandoah. Memorials may be directed to the Wabash Trace Nature Trail or St. John's Episcopal Church.

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