Dr. Robert A. Fakler
May 6, 1943 – September 12, 2022
A private Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in Robert’s name to the Michigan Parkinson’s Foundation, 30400 Telegraph Road, Suite 150, Bingham Farms, Michigan 48025 or www.parkinsonsmi.org.
Obituary
Robert ‘Bob’ Arthur Fakler, 79, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, passed away peacefully in his Portage, Michigan residence Monday morning alongside his wife of 45 years, Jeanne. Born May 6, 1943 to Arthur and Sylvia Fakler, he was raised in Mankato, Minnesota as an only child. He graduated from Mankato High School in 1961 and went on to study Physics and Mathematics at Minnesota State University, Mankato. He continued his love for mathematics and completed his Master’s and Doctorate degrees at the University of Minnesota.
Professor Fakler was able to apply his knowledge at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where he influenced many engineering, math, and science students over the course of 35 years prior to retirement in the spring of 2009. He was an avid gardener and known for his knowledge of trivia. You could catch him most weekday nights beating Jeopardy contestants from the comfort of his recliner with a warm bowl of popcorn. He was a devoted father who rarely missed one of his son’s sporting events.
Bob married the love of his life Jeanne LaPierre on November, 26th 1976, at St. Gerald’s church in Farmington, Michigan. Together they raised two amazing sons Marc (Michelle) and Paul (Kaitlin) and were proud grandparents to four fun loving boys: Cullen, Rylan, Lennon, and Clay. Bob had the opportunity to watch his final Detroit Lions game with his family on Sunday, another one of his favorite pastimes.
A truly great and kind man has passed. We were fortunate to know Bob as a neighbor for the last six years, and was always touched by his quick wit and spontaneous sense of humor. Bob was an example of tenacity and determination while dealing with his Parkinson’s, and his faith was so obvious when you talked to him. He will be greatly missed. Our deepest and sincerest sympathy to Jeanne and family.
I’m so sorry. My thought and prayers to Jeanne and family.🙏❤️🙏❤️
Jean I am so sorry to hear about Bob passing. He fought a very good fight against his sickness. He was so lucky to have you and his son’s support to help him in his journey. May you all feel the arms of God around you during this difficult time.
Bob and I grew up together in Mankato and spent many days fishing along the Minnesota River. He talked me into going to my first ever movie at the theater, “The Creature From The Black Lagoon” It scared me so much that I slept with my BB gun by my side for over a year. As a young boy, Bob was an avid reader of “Popular Mechanics and Popular Science magazines. He spend hours telling me about all of the wonderful new inventions soon to become part of everyday life. Bob is my cousin. Sylvia is my mothers oldest sister. Bob’s father, Art Fakler, was a Seabee in the South Pacific during WWII. My father was a B-25 tail gunner flying out of a base in Indonesia that Art had just completed building before returning to New Guinea. While waiting for his next assignment, Art decided to take a military DC-3 hop to visit my dad. It crashed into the ocean on takeoff killing everyone onboard, Dec 29, 1944. Bob was 17 months old. Sylvia never remarried raising Bob as a single parent. Out of so much tragedy, rose a great man who positively influenced the lives of so many. I shall never forget the influence he had on me.
God bless you, Bob! You will have a place in heaven, for sure! Jeanne, Paul, Mark our most heartfelt sympathies for you and your families. I pray that the love of family and friends will bring you peace. xxoo