Robert "Bob" Tonjes

Robert “Bob” Tonjes, Overland Park, Kansas, passed away on August 21, 2019. He was 90 years old. Bob was born in Carthage, Missouri on June 24, 1929, the fourth of six children of Gerd and Hermine Tonjes. Bob attended elementary school in Carthage and graduated from Carthage High School in 1947. He attended Joplin Junior College, where he graduated in 1949. He then transferred to Valparaiso University in Indiana and graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. Following his graduation from Valparaiso, Bob enlisted in the United States Airforce during the Korean War. He served for four years with the Air Force Auditor General, including one year in Greenland. He was discharged from the service in 1955 as a Staff Sergeant.

Bob was then employed by the Kansas City Power & Light Company as an accountant in the accounting department. After thirty-nine years, he retired from the company in 1994 as a Manager in General Accounting. In 1961, he met his future wife, Lorraine Pritchard, on a blind date. Apparently, he was quite impressed, because they were married in June of 1962, a marriage that lasted 57 years. Bob was a member of the American Legion, the Accounting Division of the Missouri Valley Electric Association and the Edison Electric Institute. He was a charter and sole surviving charter member of the Prairie Village Lions Club, when they disbanded in 2012, after fifty years of service in the community. He served two years as President of the club and seven years as Secretary. He was currently a member of the Overland Park Host Lions Club.  Bob served the Lions District three years as Cabinet Secretary and one year as District Governor. He was also the State Council Chairman for the Kansas Lions. In 1987, he was elected to a two-year term on the International Board of Directors for Lions Club international. In this capacity, he and Lorraine traveled in excess of 120,000 miles visiting Lions in over twenty states and eleven countries. Bob was a life member of Lions International and a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow. He received three Presidential awards and the Ambassador of Good Will Award; the highest award presented by Lions International. Bob enjoyed traveling, visiting all fifty states and over twenty countries. He and his wife were members of the St. Michael’s and All Angels Episcopal Church in Mission, Kansas.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents: Gerd and Hermine Tonjes; two sisters, Dorothea Hickey and Lois Haubein, three brothers, Robert Edward Tonjes, Donald Tonjes, and Richard Tonjes.  He is survived by his wife, Lorraine, two nieces, five nephews and many great nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held at 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm Saturday August 24, 2019 with the funeral service starting at 2:30 pm Saturday at St. Michael’s and All Angels Episcopal Church. 6630 Nall Ave Mission, Kansas. Entombment will be at Johnson County Funeral Chapel Mausoleum following the funeral service.

The family requests no flowers but memorial contributions may be made to The Kansas Lions Sight Foundation, c/o Kansas University Medical School, or the St. Michael’s and All Angels Church in Mission, KS.