Robert Lee Bethke
1/26/1949 - 1/04/2004 | Marker: Memorial Plaque
Robert Lee Bethke left many friends and loved ones as he passed away at Memorial Hospital January 4, 2004, after brief battle with lung cancer.
Born January 26, 1949 in the neighborhood of Highlandtown, Baltimore, Rob was the fourth son of William A Bethke, Sr.,and Josephine Milles both of Baltimore. Rob grew up loving baseball at the Power Plant, working the farm with his dad and selling Christmas trees at the family’s Produce and Fresh Market on Fleet Street.
He graduated from Poly Technical Institute, Baltimore, in 1968 and was elected Class President. He married his high school sweetheart, Janet Gilpin in. 1969, and they resided in Perry Hall. After graduating from high school, Robert studied Manufacturing Management at Antioch College, and worked at the Maryland Glass Company in Baltimore. Rob left his employment in 1971 to serve as a Ranger with the 82nd Airborne Division, 342nd ASA Company, U.S. Army. He served active duty in Vietnam and several missions worldwide. He was discharged in 1975. Upon his return to Maryland, he resumed his work with Maryland Glass Company in Baltimore and trained in all areas of the glass container industry, rising to the position of Human Resources Manager and Labor Relations Negotiator.
After closing the Baltimore plant, Robert went to work as a manager of Professional Staffing for the Defense Division of Gould Electronics in Glen Burnie and had a successful career until the facility closed in 1980. Robert continued with his manufacturing expertise as Executive Vice President for Data Chromatics in Columbia and then Plant Manager with the Wheaton Glass and Tubing facility in Easton. He also managed manufacturing for Frankoma Pottery in Sapulpa, OK. Robert established PRB and Associated, a manufacturing consulting firm abd workrd with several area manufacturers and start-up businesses in the Easton area.
In 1991, Robert married Paige Russell of Easton and made his home on the Eastern Shore. Robert enjoyed his family, projects around the house, his yard, walking his dogs, and restoring Mercedes-Benz automobiles. He was looking forward to celebrating 20 years of sobriety on June 7, 2004.
A member of Third Haven Friends Meeting, Robert is survived by three brothers, William Albert Bethke, Jr., and Philip Henry Bethke of Baltimore and Peter Albert Bethke of Edgewood. He leaves two sons from his first marriage, Jeffrey Robert Bethke of Seattle. WA and Todd Clifford Bethke of Perry Hall, MD, and one son by his second marriage; Brandt Schindler Bethke of Easton, MD He is survivd by both Janet Bethke Campbell and Paige Russell Bethke and an aunt; Dorothy Nilles, his mother’s sister-in-law. His many nephews and nieces provided him much joy over the years. Memorial Service was at Third Haven on January 17, 2004.