Robert Louis Sestric

Robert “Bob” Louis Sestric, died peacefully at home, August 25, 2018. Bob, beloved and cherished husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin and friend to many will be extremely missed. Bob was a wonderful man who showed us all what faith, strength, determination and perseverance really looks like, fighting his battles with dignity and without complaints. Bob is now able to find comfort with God and farm the richness of heaven’s bounty without pain. Always proud to be classified as a Navy Brat, Bob was the older of two children born to Joseph and Lucille (Behnke) Sestric. He came into this world on August 22, 1947 at the Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. Bob grew up and spent the majority of his life in Dowagiac, Michigan a place he truly loved. Bob was always reminiscing his fond memories of growing up at the family farms near Indian Lake with stories of his grandparents, aunts and uncles, sister and cousins with stories about swimming in the mud, learning to drive at seven, visiting family in Pittsburgh and so many, many more. Bob graduated from Dowagiac Union High School in 1965 and enlisted in the United States Army, serving in the Vietnam War. Bob spent the majority of his adult life working at Clark Equipment in Benton Harbor and retiring from the Cass County Road Commission. Bob was there to help anyone in need, at anytime, anywhere. Bob could fix any motor or machine that was presented to him and always kept his 50 year Allis Chalmers tractor purring like a kitten. No weed was safe in any flowerbed or garden. His lawn resembled a baseball field. Bob was a fireman at the Indian Lake Volunteer Fire Department for over 30 years, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 1855, and the American Legion. Of all of Bob’s achievements he was most proud of his family. In 1972 Bob went all the way to New York City to fall in love with Leslie Schultz, they married on September 28, 1974 in Flushing, Queens, New York, their two children came soon after. Bob loved his family, and they always came first. Bob leaves behind his beloved wife Leslie, daughter Keiffer (Jon DeMaat), son John (Eiko Haruta), four grandchildren Zoe, Paris and Xander DeMaat and Eri Sestric, his sister Katherine DeWald, nieces Amy (Jon) Reed, Sara DeWald and Kate DeWald along with his cherished cousins Mike, PattyAnn, Susie and Frank, great-nephews and a great-niece. Preceded in death are Bob’s parents Joe and Lucille Sestric and in-laws, Leslie and Lucille Schultz. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 1, 2018, at Holy Maternity Catholic Church, 210 N. Front St., Dowagiac, MI with Father Richard Altine officiating. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Dowagiac. Visitation will be from 5-7:30 p.m. on Friday, August 31, 2018, with Rosary at 7:30-8 p.m. at Clark Chapel, 405 Center St., Dowagiac. Memorial contributions may be made to the Holy Maternity Catholic church or the Niles YMCA Livestrong program. Those wishing to send a condolence online may do so at www.clarkch.com.