Robert “Bob” Merkel was born April 20th 1952 at Mount Sinai hospital in Milwaukee Wisconsin, and departed this life from his home in East Troy on October 3rd 2026.
Bob spent his 45 year career at JCPenney warehouse where in 1974 he met the love of his life Tyla Schrubbe. They married in 1977 and shared 49 years of love with one another. In 1982 his daughter Joy was born and 7 years later his son James entered into the happy family. Bob loved to take his family camping, spending time around the fire and cooking delicious meals like his famous homemade pizza or hearty beef rouladen. Bob took pride in fixing things and making them last forever. From the car to the furnace Bob could fix it. He was an avid motorcyclist in his youth and never lost the bug having just purchased a new eBike after a recent successful knee replacement. Bob was a collector of Movies, Music, Flashlight, Knives and more. He was never a stranger to anyone and could sit and talk to anyone about anything for hours. To know him was to love him.
He is survived by his wife Tyla, his daughter Joy (Michael), his son James, his grandchildren Beckett and Sloane, his brother James (Mindy), and his sisters Linda (Mike) and Gail. He was preceded in death by his Mother and Father Leona and Robert Merkel and his Mother and Father in Law Ralph and Bernadine Schrubbe. He will be truly missed by all his family and friends.
Memorial services will be held on Monday October 12th at Schmidt & Bartelt 10121 W. North Avenue in Wauwatosa. Visitation is from 10am-Noon, service will begin at noon. Interment will follow at Wisconsin Memorial Park in Brookfield.
