Bob graduated from Ceresco High School in 1959. Bob was a member of the football team and was proud when they won the state championship.
As a teenager he enjoyed fishing, hunting and roller skating before he developed an interest in cars.
Bob had a beautiful singing voice. When he was 13 years old his mother entered him in a talent contest called “Talent Sprouts” for kids. This was a live TV show aired on an Omaha station. Bob won the contest and was awarded a new bike. He sang at many weddings, funerals, and other special events
The summer of 1959 he took a job working at the Game Lodge in Custer State Park in South Dakota. This is where he met Ramona. She was also working at the Game Lodge that year.
In 1960 he joined the Air National Guard and was trained as a weapons specialist. He was honorably discharged in 1962 due to health issues.
He married Ramona Streich on June 29, 1962. To this union they became parents of daughter Dawn Renee and son, Robert (Rob) Allen Dittrich.
Bob worked maintenance jobs at Control Data and Ovaltine before being hired on as a systems electrician for BNSF. He worked for Burlington-Northern-Santa Fe for 29 years, retiring in 2006.
Bob loved Halloween which was also his birthday. Before store-bought Halloween decorations became popular, he made his own.
Bob built and raced hobby stock race cars through the 70’s with limited success before his interest evolved towards restoration of vintage/antique cars.
He liked cars, especially Hudsons-Essex-Terraplanes, as his dad had owned Hudsons. He was a member of the Hudson-Essex-Terraplane club. He served as president for the Nebraska-Iowa Chapter a few years. He restored a 1942 Hudson and won several trophies with this car. Bob and Ramona attended many Hudson meets.
He is survived by his immediate family, wife Ramona, daughter Dawn Teague, and son Rob Dittrich, grandchildren, Celia Halos, Cassandra Teague, Cherie Teague-Ryan (Matt), Jake Dittrich, Lindsey Holmes (Cole); and four great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, DeLoris Striker, and Nadine Erickson.
Visitation at the Ceresco Methodist Church Friday, December 5 from 6 to 8 pm. Funeral service on Saturday, December 6, 11 am at the Ceresco Methodist Church, 421 North 2nd Street, Ceresco.
Memorials may be given to the family for a later designation.