Robert R. Glick

Robert “Bob” Raymond Glick, 98, of Galena, IL died February 21, 2025, at Midwest Senior Care Center, Galena. A funeral mass will be held at St. Michael Catholic Church in Galena at 11 AM, on Saturday, March 29, 2025, where friends may gather after 10 AM until the time of mass. The burial will be in the church cemetery. A parish rosary will begin at 9:30 AM. Military honors will be accorded graveside by VFW Post #2665 and American Legion Post #193. Robert was born June 2, 1926, in Galena, the son of Raymond and Frances (Schaber) Glick. He was raised in Galena and graduated from Galena High School in 1944. He was the sixth generation of his ancestors to have lived in Galena. He served two years, 1944-1946, in the U.S. Navy during World War II, stationed on the Island of Sicily and at Naples, Italy base operations. On March 31, 1951, Bob married Mildred “Millie” Lippstock at St. Michael Church, Galena, after being introduced by relatives in Galena years before on New Year’s Eve. They lived on the east side of Galena, where Bob had owned and operated Glick’s Service Station since 1946. During that time, Bob attended the Wisconsin Institute of Technology in Platteville, WI, graduating in December 1953 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. In 1954, he relocated his family to California. Bob and Millie returned to Illinois in 1993. Bob had a distinguished 40-year career in the West Coast construction industry. He was licensed as a Registered Professional Civil Engineer in the State of Washington and possessed a California General & Building Contractor’s license. Beginning with 14 years of construction projects in California and Washington State, he was a Project Engineer for the construction of three cement plants built for the California Portland Cement Company; Materials Engineer for the L.E. Dixon Company in San Gabriel, CA on the construction of the Rocky Reach Dam on the Columbia River in Wenatchee, WA; and Materials Engineer for a dam near Oakdale, CA. Bob was then employed for seven years by the Murray J. Schiff Company, headquartered in Tucson, AZ, during which time he was Contract Manager over military construction projects for the U.S. Navy in Seal Beach, CA; the U.S. March Air Force Base in Riverside, CA; the U.S. Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc, CA; and several other projects in Southern California. Construction work for the U.S. Navy in Seal Beach included building the facilities for the fabrication of the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Saturn S-II second stage of the Saturn V Rocket, which eventually carried astronauts to the moon. In 1966, Bob began a 20-year career as a civil service employee with the U.S. Navy, where he retired as the Director of Construction for the Western Division Naval Facilities Engineering Command in San Bruno, California. Bob was responsible for all U.S. Navy and Marine Corps construction, maintenance, and repair projects covering nine western states, including Alaska. His scope of work ranged from constructing administrative offices to housing, hospitals, mess halls, training facilities, shipyards, and airport runways, to name a few. The San Bruno staff of 25 personnel provided contract guidance and surveillance over field offices consisting of 400 civilian and military personnel. Construction work required Bob and Millie to move frequently and live in 12 different West Coast cities. They enjoyed vacations in various states, including Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, and Mexico. After Bob retired, they moved to Patterson, CA in 1986, until relocating to Illinois in 1993. They visited China, Hong Kong, and Japan; traveled with several groups to Egypt, Israel, and Jordan; toured England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales; visited the Cayman Islands with family members; and enjoyed multiple trips to Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland. Bob’s travels were also an opportunity to meet relatives in Germany and to conduct his extensive genealogical research overseas. Several trips to Plauen, Germany involved reunions with 25 direct relatives of the Glick (Glück) family, which included visits to the original Glück farm and house built in 1620 in Rothenacker and still owned by family members. Bob and Millie also hosted several Glick family reunions in Galena that were attended by relatives from Germany. Bob was devoted to his wife and three children and had many interests. He served as a Scout Master for the Boy Scouts in Twentynine Palms and Burlingame, California, and he loved fishing and camping with the family when his children were young. Bob and Millie also enjoyed seasonal subscriptions to musical theatres throughout their married life, a passion they also instilled in their children. Bob enjoyed playing the organ as an adult and listening to everything from Willie Nelson tunes to Johann Strauss waltzes. Most of all, however, Bob loved Big Band music, with memories of Big Band orchestra events he attended in the 1940s. Bob also enjoyed bowling and playing golf. Bob was an active member of Galena’s American Legion Post 193, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2665, the Knights of Columbus Council 696, and the Knights of Columbus Assembly 1690. Bob is survived by his children Karen Ann Wilson of Galena; Robert Raymond Glick, Jr. of Fort Worth, TX; C.D. (Kim Leeds) Glick of Spokane, WA; grandson Christopher Ryan (Joanna) Glick of Nashville, TN; granddaughter Dr. Caitlyn Nicole Glick of Rohnert Park, CA; and great-granddaughters Millie Elizabeth Glick and Stella Charlotte Glick of Nashville, TN. Additionally, he has many cousins and family members in the Tri-State area. Bob was preceded in death by his wife of 72 years, Millie, and his parents. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Bob’s name to the United Churches of Galena Food Pantry, 219 Summit Street, Galena, IL 61036. The family would like to thank Dr. Gregory Vandigo, and the staff at Medical Associates Clinic, Mercy One Dubuque Medical Center, Midwest Medical Center, and Galena Assisted Living Center for their kindness and care of Bob.