Robert Gail Ludwig, age 89 passed away in his home in Lincoln Nebraska, surrounded by his family on July 5, 2017.
Born August 6, 1927 at home, in Barada, Richardson County, Nebraska. Parents were Alta (Ankrom) Ludwig and Charles Tommy Ludwig. He had 2 sisters, Melissa Kathleen (Duane) Duey, who preceded him in death and Helen Kay (Erv) Rung who lives in Lincoln. Robert attended the two-room school in Barada through the 10th grade, then graduated from Shubert High School in 1945. He received his post-secondary training from the military, and a Master’s degree in Hospital Administration from the University of Minnesota.
Robert dedicated his professional life to providing health care services, as a WWII medical Corpsman in the Navy and later in Hospital Administration with the Public Health Service, Indian Health Division, and in small rural hospitals throughout the Midwest. During his career he was committed to quality services and fiscal responsibility in the organizations he led. Robert had the heart of a servant and a head for solving problems; attributes that he shared with both family members and professional colleagues. He was a quiet and gentle man who enjoyed traveling, reading, his cars and RV, and time with “his girls”. Family events and milestones were important to Robert. He enjoyed playing Santa and distributing gifts from under the Christmas tree each year for over 50 years. Often those gifts would include a prank or joke that provided funny memories for subsequent years.
Robert married Nancy Mathews Reed in Lincoln, in 1957. The couple moved multiple times and enjoyed many travels during their 60 year marriage. He is survived by his wife Nancy; daughters Ann Ludwig (David Bondarenko) Matthews of Topeka, Kansas and their daughter, Mya Elliott; and Amy Ludwig (David) Bakke of Muscatine, Iowa and their daughters, Emily (Bakke) Owens and Ari Bakke. He will be remembered by those who loved him, for his sense of humor and his quiet strength.
Friends are invited to visit with his family at Roper and Sons Funeral Home, 4300 O. Street, Lincoln on Friday (7-7-17) from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Robert will be laid to rest with a graveside service in the Harris Cemetery, Barada, Nebraska on Saturday (7-8-17) at 1:00 p.m.