Robert Noel "Bob" Monroe, Jr.

     Robert Noel "Bob" Monroe, Jr., age 81, of Ithaca, Michigan, passed away on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at Woodland Hospice House, Mt. Pleasant, MI.

     Funeral Services will be held at Ithaca United Methodist Church, Ithaca, Michigan, on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 11:00 A.M. with Mr. Mark Monroe officiating.  Burial will take place at Drummond Island Cemetery, Drummond Island, MI at a later date.  Visitation will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Ithaca Chapel on October 21, 2022 from 2-8 P.M. with the family present from 2-4 & 6-8 P.M.

     Bob was born in Alma, Michigan, on January 31, 1941, the son of Robert Noel and Grace (Geyer) Monroe, Sr. On June 1, 1963, he married Linda Macha at Edgewood Church of God, Wheeler, Michigan; they were blessed with 59 years of marriage and she survives him.  He was a lifelong resident of Ithaca, MI.

     In his youth, Bob was a boy-scout and 4-H club member of the Ashley-Ithaca Beef Club, where he had the Grand Champion Steer at the Gratiot County Fair for Youth in 1959.   He graduated from Ithaca High School with the class of 1959.  He was active in sports and was co-captain of the 1959 football team, earning All-Conference, All-Area First Team Honors, and was the Ballard Trophy winner, for the most valuable player.  Bob was senior class vice-president, and the sports reporter for the school paper and earning a journalism award from the Lansing State Journal.  He attended Ferris State College earning a two-year degree in 1961 and went to work at the family trucking-farming business; which he and his brothers: Rick and Ken, purchased in 1983. He was a member of the Michigan National Guard from 1962-1968. 

     Thanks to his wife Linda, (and probably to her regret) Bob was an avid outdoors man, his entire life and was fortunate to be able to travel and hunt many place in the United States of America and Canada.  Acquiring many fine trophies and meeting many wonderful people in the process.  He was a forty plus year member of Ducks Unlimited and the Michigan Duck Hunters Association.  He hunted duck and geese for fifty plus years.  He was a proud life member of the N.R.A., chairman of the Michigan Citizen's Waterfowl Advisory Committee, and a five year member of Governor Engler's Hunting and Fishing Heritage Task Force in 1999.  He served his community as a member of the Downtown Development Authority and was a city councilman for twelve years.

     Bob was an avid reader of hunting, history, biography,, humor, including politics.  One of his favorite expressions being, "So many books-so little time!"  One period of time from 2012-2019, he read 793 books, no junk!  Upon retirement, Bob, enjoyed beautiful Drummond Island in the summer and fall and fishing in Venice, Florida, with Captain Gary, in the winter. He loved serving Goose Gumbo, having fish fry's for family, friends, and neighbor's, and making black walnut fudge, for all his lady friends and relatives and freezer jam.

     Bob and Linda (Linda mostly) held wild game dinners every winter for twenty-years, attended by 20-25 hunting and fishing buddies.  Featuring such delicacies as:  duck, goose, venison, elk, bear sausages and salami's, roast smoked hunch venison, mountain lion, roast bear, beaver, muskrat; barbecue goose, duck ala orange; fried pheasant venison; walleye, caribou, antelope, elk, baked quail and pheasant and Linda's black cap pie (if anyone had room.)  Bob sincerely appreciated and respected the relationships he had with the many landowners and farmers that allowed he & his fellow hunters to hunt ducks and geese on their properties.

     He is survived by his wife of 59 years Linda Monroe of Ithaca, MI; three children: Scott Monroe of Ithaca, Michigan; Mark Monroe of Ithaca, MI; and Jennifer Monroe of Slocum, R.I; two grandchildren: Lance and Tasia Monroe; his sister: Janet (Mike) Derry of Drummond Island, MI; two brothers: Rick (Jean) Monroe of Englewood, FL; and Kenneth Monroe of Ithaca, MI; brother-in-law Al  Byam of Boyne City, MI; and many nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister Gail Byam.

     In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Ithaca Food Pantry or Drummond Island Library, 29934 East Court Street, Drummond Island, MI 49726.  Online condolences can be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, Ithaca, Michigan.