Willard “Bobb” Kotterman: ‘He had many stories’

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It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Willard “Bobb” Kotterman a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend. He left behind a lifetime of cherished memories.

Bobb was born June 10,1928 in Mobridge, South Dakota.

He went home to be with the Lord after a short hospitalization due to pneumonia related symptoms on September 22, 2023.  He lived to be 95 years old and resided in Renton, Washington at the time of his passing.

Bobb was the only son of Willard and May Kotterman and middle sibling to Kay and Doris.

He was half brother to Randall Kotterman. Both Randy and Doris preceded him in death.

Because his Father was in construction, he lived all over Minnesota and North & South Dakota and has many stories about living in Mobridge, Aberdeen, Pipestone, Mankato, Minneapolis, Rosebud, Pinehill, Pierre and being out on the range.

He went to 14 different elementary schools and was burned out of two houses so he learned to make friends quickly, a trait that served him well for his entire life.

Bobb was selling newspapers on a corner in Minneapolis with an older boy when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. That boy gave his route to Bobb & enlisted in the Army. Within a week all the men in town were gone which left an opening for the young entrepreneur. He began selling cigarettes on his newspaper route, which eventually led to selling liquor.

One day he got called into the principals office & he was pretty sure he was going to be expelled, instead he got another customer.

At 13, he was supporting his Mom and two sisters until his Mom later found work in a munitions factory.

Bobb eventually moved to his Uncle Perry’s ranch where he had lived off and on starting at age eight, working alongside grown men. He had his own horse, Ring, and a dog named Jack. At that period of time, one could drive if one could see over the steering wheel and be served in a bar if one could see over the bar while standing. You can be sure he had many stories!

Bobb worked on his Uncle Perry’s ranch with his Aunt Dolly and Grandma Langfelder until after the War when he moved to Pittsburgh, California to live with his Dad.

After Bobb graduated from Pittsburgh High School in 1949 he moved to San Francisco, and went to State where he graduated with an associate degree. The following summer he completed a smoke jumper program and worked out of Bateman Butte Lookout in the Umpqua National Forest in Oregon.

When Bobb returned to California he began working in a gas station on Solono Ave, in Berkeley.  He met his future wife, Lenore Grant, when she backed into a pump one evening and he walked her home.

Within a year they married and were living in an apartment over the top of the White Horse Saloon in Berkeley.  Bobb started working for Southern Pacific Railroad in 1951 and Jeanne & Dennis were both born in Berkeley.

September 1955, he was transferred to Eureka where he worked for Northwestern Pacific Railroad and moved his family to Eureka into a little garage house on Excelsior Drive.
While he was looking for a more permanent place to live, he contacted a realtor named Harold Reardon and discovered that Mr Reardon had served with his Father in the South Pacific. Mr Reardon sold him the house on Westgate Dr. and offered him part time work on the Elk River dairy farm. Bobb considered Mr Reardon a father figure and continued to do work for him for several years.

Doug & Mark were both born in Eureka after the move to Westgate Dr. For the next 20 years, Bobb worked several part time jobs in addition to working as an inspector on the Railroad.

He was a Cub Scout leader when his boys were in Cub Scouts and a Boy Scout leader in Troop 28 when they were in Boy Scouts, a position he thoroughly enjoyed.
Bobb loved to go hunting, beginning with bow hunting every year. He spent every vacation camping and fishing. He built miniature surf fishing nets and tied his kids to hisself as they waded into the surf together. He tried to teach fly fishing the same way but gave that up when the kids would just jump into the water.
Bobb retired from the RR and bought Bobb’s Super Shell Service Station in 1969 on McFarland & Myrtle Ave. Many of his Scouts and his own sons, got their first jobs working for Mr K at the Shell Station.
He later leased the Texaco station in Korbel.
Bobb was a member of the Kiwanis club and served as president for a term. He was named Man of the Year in 1976.

After selling the gas stations he and Lenore divorced and he relocated to Seattle, Washington where he began a new career selling real estate.

He eventually married Nancy Williams and spent his remaining years in Renton, Washington.

Bobb & Nancy spent three years as campground hosts always picking campgrounds near waterways so they could fish and they loved to host their various grandchildren for summer vacations. Bobb and Nancy were both active Auxiliary members of the Skyway VFW and rarely missed a dance or a dinner. Nancy preceded Bobb in death on May 4th, 2020.

Bobb is survived by his sister Kay and his children; Jeanne Cooper, Dennis Kotterman, Doug Kotterman & Mark Kotterman.

His grandchildren; Rachel Cooper, Josh Cooper, Sarah Cooper, Dustin Kotterman, Ryan Kotterman, Skyler Kotterman, Edmund Kotterman, Stephanie Kotterman, & Tasha Temple.

His great grandchildren; Hawk Amis, Darby Amis, Cher-ere Cooper, Machante-Washta Cooper, Olivia Cooper, Austin Kotterman, Ember Kotterman, Conner Kotterman, Bradley Kotterman, Zander Kotterman, Landon Kotterman, Faith Kotterman, Anastasia Kotterman, & Allen Temple.

And one great-great granddaughter,  Brinley Marquez.

He is also survived by his special friend Joan who took very good care of him after Nancy died.