H.R. "Bob" Bootman

H.R. “Bob” Bootman, born October 30, 1922, died at home on November 13, 2017 after a long struggle with congestive heart failure. His parents were Herbert J. Bootman and Juanita Matilda Cortez who were married in Santa Fe, NM in October 1917. They predeceased him in 1932 and 1965 respectively. Bob’s full brother, Herb, also predeceased him in 1980. He had three half-brothers Roy, Clyde, and Earl Bootman, and a half-sister Ruby (Bootman) Gray who have also passed away. His wife Jane Bootman died in January 1993, nearly 25 years ago; they were married on August 8, 1947.

He is survived by Steve Bootman (Barbara), McKinney, Tx; Kerry Meyer (Bob), Weatherby Lake, Mo; Nancy Biggs, Mission, Ks; Gail Wais (Bob), Phoenix, Az; eleven grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren. Bob graduated from Westport High School in 1940, and from Kansas State University in 1944 in Electrical Engineering. As an avid K-Stater, he followed basketball and football broadcast on radio. After college, he went to work at General Electric during World War II, testing submarine motors. He continued to work for GE for more than 40 years, retiring in 1985. He worked primarily in sales of electrical equipment in the region around Kansas City.

A simple chronology of Bob’s life misses some important aspects. One is travel. A family pass on Santa Fe RR led him to the World’s Fair in New York in 1939 and summers in Santa Fe during his youth. Annual trips with his own family took them camping throughout the western states through the 1950s, 60s & 70s, but mostly Colorado. Such was his passion for travel and camping that he took grandchildren to the Rockies after his own children moved away. In the 1970s, the family went on vacation to Europe. And after the kids were gone, he and Jane traveled for several years. Well into his 70s, Bob ventured alone to the Middle East several times after Jane’s passing. And for his 93rd birthday he returned to the Santa Fe rails with Steve to visit cousins in New Mexico and family in Arizona. He had not been to Santa Fe on the railroad in over 70 years, and missed the steam engines….

Bob never really “retired”. After retiring from General Electric, he got busy with helping his neighbors, wood working, travel and home repair for just over 30 years. In 2001, the Kansas City Star recognized him as “The Neighbor Everyone Wants” in a multi-page spread. At the time, he was just shy of 79. Yet he continued in his helpfulness in the neighborhood until he was well into his 90s.

We remember Bob for his generosity. While in his 70s, he met a young man in Egypt. After several visits, he invited Mohammed to the USA and enrolled him in a nearby private school to finish high school. Later Mohammed attended community college in Kansas City. With Bob’s help, Mohammed became a US citizen. Thus, his travels built a bridge to Egypt from right in the middle of Fairway.

This highlights another aspect of Bob Bootman: education. Each of his children attended university, and racked up a total of four Master’s Degrees. Among his grandchildren is a Doctor of Pharmacy, Cum Laude in English Lit, engineering degree, paramedic. It is no surprise that the oldest of his great grandchildren is studying at Iowa State University. In addition to Mohammed, he also assisted financially with a non-profit involved in distributing books to rural schools in Bolivia, founded by son Steve, grandson Bryon and others in 2007.

Bob’s neighbors in Fairway were integral to his long survival. They reciprocated his big-heartedness with their own outreach as his health declined. More than neighbors, they were community. On his 95th birthday, just two weeks ago, he was celebrated by neighbors and afterwards excitedly phoned family and friends, telling of the banner, balloons, gifts that were so welcomingly received. We the family can honestly say that of all the birthdays that he has had, he was most touched by the outpouring of well wishes for his 95th. All of us are truly thankful that Bob Bootman lived a long and productive life. His generosity, sense of humor and helpfulness will be missed by family, friends, and neighbors near and far away in Egypt.

A visitation will be held on Friday, November 17, from 9-10AM, service 10AM, at Johnson County Funeral Chapel, 11200 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS 66210. Burial will follow at Mound Grove Cemetery in Independence, MO.

Bob Bootman: The Neighbor Everyone Wants Page 1, Page 2, Page 3


Page 1: https://www.dropbox.com/s/kp8g25a0400kbhn/Neighbor-p1.pdf
Page 2: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jgnksgs7htz012s/Neighbor-p2.pdf
Page 3: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mvyflcxuv281xh0/Neighbor-p3.pdf


Instead of flowers, we would like to suggest a donation to your favorite
charity, and/or to Participatory Wholistic Ministry “Books for Bolivia”, c/o Treasurer Joy Nangle, 77 Marathon Street, Arlington MA 02474