Robert W. Rardin, age 83, a resident of Bolingbrook, IL, passed away on Friday, August 11, 2023, at Hinsdale Hospital.  He was born November 13, 1939, on a farm outside of Milltown, South Dakota to Wesley and Mabel (Taylor) Rardin. What follows is an autobiography, as Bob felt standard obituaries "seem so dry and dedicated to pedigree information."

"I was the fourth of five children in the family. All of us were born in the family's farmhouse near the little village of Milltown, South Dakota. The year was 1939 and the economy was very poor due to drought, dust storms and the Great Depression. The hard times lingered on for a number of years. We knew that we were poor, but just about everybody was in the same condition.

My siblings and I attended the one-room school in Milltown. This would now be considered substandard education. Yet I did better in my high school class than any of the kids from the large "town schools." A lot seemed to depend on the caliber of the teacher and her ability to teach six or eight grades by herself. The high school was in Parkston, SD, a ten mile drive. I graduated in 1957. At that time, the Cold War was on and just about every guy expected to be drafted into the military. The one sure way to avoid the draft was to enlist. The Army Reserve system had a deal going on at that time requiring six months active duty and then thirty days per year for a few years. It beat the draft.

Early in my second year of college, while dating a few girls from a college in the same town, I met a special girl. After a few months, we began to talk of marriage. Donna brought up the subject of what church we would attend. I said that since she had a church and I did not that we should first explore her church. My family had attended a couple of churches but did not accept Jesus Christ's word, "I am the way - no one comes to the Father except through me." So it was Donna who brought me to the church where I heard the Word that brought me to faith. The pastor was especially helpful in displaying faith and the strength of that faith. Later the following year, we married. I graduated after another year in college.

The job then moved us to Minnesota, Michigan, New York to Minnesota again. Our three children were born in Minnesota and New York. In 1972, the job moved us to Illinois. Our first church here was Resurrection in Aurora. Then two years later, a mission church began closer to home. This church soon became Good Shepherd and built in Downers Grove. Our first called pastor was David Rutschow.

Our children went to Northwestern Preparatory School in Watertown, Wisconsin. As time went by, the children married and brought us eleven grandchildren, four grandchildren-in-law and two great-grandchildren. All grand and great-grandchildren have gone to WELS Lutheran schools. It has been a very full life knowing the love of our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Knowing the love of Christ is the ultimate reason for our life here."

Bob is survived by his wife of nearly 64 years, Donna; three children, R. Dennis Rardin, David (Agnes) Rardin, and Julie (Greg) Bork; 11 grandchildren Nicole (Justin), Matthew, Joshua, Sarah, Rachel (Taylor), Anna, Zachary (Arianna), Micayla, Erin (Jacob), Jayden and Jeremy; and two great-grandchildren, Andrew and Sophia. He was preceded in death by his siblings and parents.

A memorial visitation will be held on Sunday, August 20, 2023 from 1:00 to 2:00pm at Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church, where a funeral service will be held August 20, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Good Shepherd Academy. https://www.gsladg.org/