Bob Hall (Sharpnack) died Wednesday, October 7th, in the loving company of his wife, daughter, and son. Bob was 93-years old. He was born in Lincoln, NE on March 4th, 1927 to Mary (Hynek) and George Sharpnack. He grew up in a time when resources were scarce with two working parents and spent his summers between Muny pool and his grandparent’s home at 21st and O street – now the site of the Rock Island bike trail. Bob moved to Teaneck, NJ with his family at the start of the war, where his dad found work at Bendix Co and opened an engineering shop to help with the war effort. During this time as a teenager, Bob played in one of the baseball farm-leagues as a starting pitcher and first-baseman. He was always a gifted athlete and when he returned to Lincoln to graduate from Lincoln High he played in many city sport leagues and held the City and State titles in handball.
Bob met his wife Rosalie (Zahn) through mutual friends and began a rich life of shared interests including, bridge, many road trips and lots of tennis competition through the Racquet Club and later the Senior Olympics where Bob earned medals in the high jump, shotput, discus, and tennis until he retired at 80-years old.
Bob graduated from UNL and went on to teach high school in Syracuse, NE. Not being suited to teaching, he started his long career of entrepreneurial businesses: AAA Crushed Rock and Dirt, commercial property and rural land development. Bob had a great sense of humor that would catch you off guard – he enjoyed making people laugh and always erupted in laughter at his own jokes. His greatest love was to operate heavy equipment on his farm ground east of Lincoln.
In the last year, Bob moved to the Woodlands at Hillcrest with advancing Parkinson’s Disease and enjoyed an independent life with the support of their kind and capable caring staff. Bob is survived by his wife, Rosalie; daughter Heidi (son-in-law Mark Chaffey) of Monterey, CA; son, J Jon of Sun Lakes, AZ; Grandchildren, Ashley Hall, Matthew Hall, Luke Hall, Moriah Hall and Anicka and Liam Chaffey; brother-in-law, Harold Zahn (Betty), sister-in-law, Carol Munford (Jim). Bob’s sister Virginia (Sharpnack) Dzerk preceded him in death in July.
Due to the pandemic no funeral services will be held. Condolences at Wyuka.com and visit: https://www.tribute.co/bob-hall-remembrance/ to share a story with the family about Bob.
Memorials can be made to Tabitha Meals on Wheels where Bob and Rosalie volunteered many years.
What a wonderful guy! I enjoyed meeting the entire family Nile I was at The Woodlands. Heidi, you were such a strong advocate for your dad and Rosalie, you were Bob’s rock! Prayers and good thoughts with you all…Barb Tyler
Barb, you welcomed us to the Woodlands and I recall that my dad made his decision to move there due to the gourmet lunch and vanilla cappuccino we had there in the dining room with you! You assured us that dad could have a standard portion and seconds – no skimpy senior meal for dad!
Thank you for sharing your memory with us!
Heidi, J, and Rosalie
“Another Lincoln High Job Well Done.”
I am so sorry for your loss. You have managed to keep close to him since he moved to Woodlands, and that should be a great comfort to you. Rosalie, Bob’s obituary is such a great story of his life, and your life together.
Karen,
Thanks for your response to
dad’s obituary! As dad was a life-long resident of Lincoln it has been so heart warming for my mom and us “kids” to hear from the people who knew both he and my mom. I have shared your comment with my mom as she does not have access to a computer. Maybe she’ll reach out to you in the coming days. Best, Heidi
I am so sorry for your loss. You have kept so close to him since he has lived at Woodlands, and that should be such a comfort to you. Rosalie, Bob’s obituary is such a great story about his life, and about your life together.
Rosalie, Heidi, J & family:
We’re so very sorry for your loss. None of us is really ever old enough to lose
a loved one. We know Bob is immensely missed.
Bob was a very fortunate man having a great family like yours; Rosalie, Heidi, J &
the grand children are his legacy in which you’ve all made him very proud.
Bob told me over 45 years ago it was always all right to hunt on his farm properties if we followed the rules and we did. However, I believe one time he forgot and he came racing up in the big Orange Dump Truck. It was pretty darn funny because he had fire in his eyes going after a Trespassing Hunter on his beloved property.
He saw it was I and it all passed in 15 seconds. He said, “No Kidding” I told you could hunt here anytime. He also mentioned not to shoot any livestock or our selves.
My favorite memory was to always ask Bob if I could borrow money from him. I did it over the years and we both always laughed. It was our private joke.
We know Bob’s spirit has gone to the acreage in the sky, God Bless.
Best wishes with our love.
Eric and Joan,
Thank you for sharing this memory of my dad! He did love that farm and you were a friend to Bob as much as a friend to me. My dad got such a kick out of all of you guys – even if he did have to pull you out of a ditch once in awhile!
My dad was a link to so many Lincoln families too. He knew everyone and in fact knew Joan’s dad from UNL! His big ideas and interests always kept life interesting! Joan, if my dad hadn’t bought me that onery Good/for-nothing horse “Keiko“ at an auction, we’d never have become such good friends.
FYI Eric, you got a laugh out of dad Just a few days before he passed when I told him you wanted to borrow some money again!
Such good laughter we all enjoyed dad was around!
Love,
Heidi (Rosalie and J)
My sympathies to the family. I knew Bob through a banking relationship years ago and enjoyed when he’d stop by with that erupting laugh! Glad to have had the privilege of knowing someone with such a great and smart sense of humor. He was a special business contact who will not be forgotten.
Thank you Laura! Dad loved doing business in Lincoln!