Robert B. Coe

Robert “Bob” Coe of La Crosse, Wisconsin, age 94, passed away on Monday, February 21, 2022 at Bethany St. Joseph Care Center. Bob was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on August 13, 1927. Bob, a World War II veteran, USNR, was stationed on an LST in the China Sea area and was honorably discharged in 1946. Bob joined the veterans on the Freedom Flight to Washington DC in 2015. Bob graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree from Iowa State University (Ames) and was elected a member of Pi Tau Sigma, a mechanical engineering honor society. He utilized his engineering training and skills his entire life before finally retiring at age 75. He was first employed by Link Belt Company in Chicago (material handling), and then by Trane Company in La Crosse (heating and air conditioning) for 34 years. During this time, he was a managing director of Trane Limited, a manufacturing company near Edinburgh, Scotland, for a term of 3 years. He found the land for the plant and started the company with, initially, three employees. Later he worked for Kraus Andersen managing a 10-story building in downtown La Crosse for 9 years, and finally for many years, Hoeschler Property Management. During his lifetime, Bob was active in many areas. He excelled in building things. He built his first home and many pieces of furniture as well as helping his children and grandson maintain their homes. His church, First Presbyterian, benefitted from his management skills as he oversaw many building projects. Bob loved tennis, playing for many years. In his younger days he played sandlot softball as a left-handed shortstop. He was also a cross country skier and a bicyclist. A devoted and knowledgeable Green Bay Packer fan, he backed his Pack through thick and thin. Bob had an enormous collection of country music as well as literature and DVDs on the Civil War and World War II which he studied throughout his life. At age 85 Bob started writing short crime/law enforcement novels. In an eight-year span, he wrote 33 of them. Bob loved dogs of all kinds but especially poodles and black labs. Bob would like those who knew him and those that knew of him to remember him as a generous person and one who all his life helped and reached out to others. He is survived by his daughter Holly (Patrick) Egge of Tempealeau, WI. son David Coe of Madison, WI., grandson Robbie (Amber) Coe of West Salem, WI., great granddaughters Lyla Jean and Brynlee Rae; and sister-in-law Karen (George) Kamperman of Wisconsin Dells, WI. He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara and his daughter-in-law Wendy. At Bob’s request, he will be cremated and a private family service will follow. The family asks that memorial be directed to Gundersen Medical Foundation, 1900 South Ave., La Crosse, WI, or First Presbyterian Church, 233 West Ave South, La Crosse, WI.