Robert William Zibell

Robert “Bob” W. Zibell, age 93, passed away peacefully at home in Menomonie, Wisconsin on December 6, 2017.

He was born June 22, 1924 in Craig, Iowa to Reverend William and Ada Zibell. Bob grew up in Iowa with his parents and sister Ruth.

Bob entered the US Army in1943 and served most of those 2 years in Germany. During that time, he grew to love Germany and the people. When Bob returned to the US, he attended the University of Montana and received his master’s degree in Education. He applied for a job through the US government and was hired to teach US Government at Munich American High School in Munich, Germany for almost 40 years.

Being an avid skier, Bob and his fellow teachers had a chance to buy condos near Sun Valley, Idaho in the 1980s. They all bought a condo and after retirement in 1992, they went every January to Idaho for several weeks of skiing. Bob skied until age 88 with no broken bones.

One thing Bob never stopped doing was listening to the news, usually several hours a day. He was also an avid reader, especially the Wall Street Journal Daily. Bob knew everything that was going on in the world and was always fun to have conversations with. He was a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Menomonie. Bob loved Caribou Coffee and the folks he met there.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, William and Ada Zibell, sister Ruth and brother-in-law Ernst Staehling.

He is survived by niece, Mary (Ranney) Staehling; nephew, David (Sally) Staehling, 6 great nieces and nephews and 12 great, great nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00am, Monday, December 11, 2017 at Olson Funeral Home in Menomonie with Pastor Bob Friese officiating. Military Honors by the Menomonie Veterans Honor Guard will follow the service. Burial will be at the Forest Mound Cemetery in Waupun, Wisconsin at a later date. There will be visitation one hour prior to the service.