Robert Harrison Lollar

Robert Harrison (Bob) Lollar, whose kindness, wit, and ready generosity enriched the lives of all who knew him, died on October 26, 2022, in Loveland, CO. A former business executive and life-long artist with hundreds of works to his name, he was 88 years old. Born in 1934, Bob grew up in Illinois farm country, the son of two educators, Max and Emilie (Kerstine) Lollar, and the younger brother of actor Nancy (Lollar) Sergel, who preceded him in death. At Hampshire High School, he was a popular athlete and reliable good-time pal who worked summers in the local canning factory or pitching hay. At Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, he earned his room and board as a food server without skimping on fun, playing the ukulele at his Phi Delta Theta fraternity parties and drums in a friend’s jazz trio. As a communications major, he also helped broadcast the occasional live concert. Jazz would be a life-long passion. Bob met his future wife, Sarah Booth of Webster Groves, MO, at a college dance. They became each other’s north star, marrying shortly after graduation in 1955 and moving to Arlington Heights, IL. Bob sold life insurance until 1961, when he joined W.W. Grainger, a national industrial supply store. He rose steadily through the ranks, becoming vice president of branch operations. His philosophy was that money was good if it was doing good, for his family and friends and for his staff. He would later bemoan today’s greed-driven gap between workers’ and executive salaries. At age 49, and after nearly 25 years of service, Bob was replaced at work with a younger man. However, he turned the injustice on its head by embracing an early retirement, taking art classes at a local college and ultimately, moving with Sarah to Fort Collins, CO where their youngest daughter Susan was living. Sarah became a pastel artist while Bob took up oil painting and assemblage art, incorporating small “found objects” into his work as commentary on the value that even discarded things can have. Over the years, his work was displayed in a variety of local coffee shops and art galleries. In January 2012, Sarah, Bob’s partner of 56 years, died following a 10-year journey with ovarian cancer. Bob remained in their Fort Collins home for another 5 years prior to moving into an independent living apartment at Good Samaritan Village in Loveland, CO to be closer to Susan and her husband Josh. The three collaborated on creating the kind of elder years that every family dreams of, full of humor and meaning. Bob was decisively his own man until his untimely passing. Bob adored spunky women (they know who they are). In addition to three nieces, Bob is survived by three daughters, their spouses, and a step-granddaughter: Julie (husband Tracy Learner, stepdaughter Sarah Learner); Cindy (wife Greta McVey); and Susan (husband Joshua Moore). Other survivors include everyone who served him coffee, a martini, or a meal; loved discussing art and politics; passed him in the hall at Good Samaritan’s; and celebrated the Chicago Cubs’ World Series win in 2016. Bob never met a stranger and always left them with a smile they hadn’t known they needed. Bob’s spiritual views can be summed up by the song lyrics, “I believe in love, and I live my life accordingly. I choose to let the mystery be.” That said, his family will be planning a jazz- and martini-fueled party to celebrate his life in 2023. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bob’s name to the National Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which for years helped cover his medication needs.

Tributes

Robert Harrison Lollar

January 26, 1934 - October 26, 2022