Obituary for Bob Highbarger
Towanda - Highbarger, Robert Lynn, 73, died Wednesday, September 16, 2020.
Visitation: Sunday, September 20, 2020, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Smith Mortuary, Derby. Funeral Service: 2:00 pm, Monday, September 21, 2020 at Central Christian Church, 2900 N Rock Rd, Wichita. Interment to follow at Towanda Cemetery, Towanda Kansas.
He was preceded in death by his father, Morris Highbarger and an infant daughter Sarah Highbarger
Bob is survived by his wife, Linda Highbarger; children, Brenda Knipfer (Frank) and Amy Highbarger, DVM (Chris Ragland); grandchildren, Ryan Knipfer and Jesse Pearl Ragland; mother, Kay Smith; brother, Ron Highbarger (Judy) of Maine; and sister, Peggy Bratton (Roy) of Texas.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Central Christian Church Missions and Outreach Ministries, 2900 N Rock Rd, Wichita KS 67226.
Bob went to work for Koch Engineering in Wichita in 1968 shortly before Brenda was born that December. He worked there for 27½ years. The first 25 years were good career years. He was regularly given additional responsibilities and promotions. When he decided to finish his college degree his managers allowed him to move to part-time so he could attend daytime classes at Wichita State University. During that time, he worked on a special project to research the feasibility of adding computer aided drafting capabilities to the drafting process used by the company. Upon completion of that project he returned to full-time work for Koch to implement that CAD system. The next few years were rewarding for him as he worked to add this new system and subsequently managed a staff that developed an in-house CAD system. The last 2½ years, though, saw a change in leadership personnel and management philosophy. This led to his being “escorted” out the door on February 22, 1996. This was a shock but not a surprise.
Up to this point in our family life, Bob had not been a church attender. He was always supportive of my attending church and definitely wanted our girls to be in church but he just didn’t “need” it for himself. But God “needed” him and that next Sunday after his termination, February 25, 1996, Bob began attending church with me. We attended Central Christian Church, Chapaweeka class with Pastor David Mann. We were invited and joined a small fellowship group; all of which Bob continued to faithfully attend until his accident this past July. Bob went forward during Pastor Joe Wright’s invitation time on Sunday, August 22, 1999. He was baptized that very day in the CCC chapel by his good friend, Kent Brummer and Pastor David Funk. (I think Kent didn’t want Bob to get away!)
Bob would tell you that God used the circumstances of his job termination to show him that he could not do it “all by himself.” He accepted that he needed the Lord in his life.
Visitation: Sunday, September 20, 2020, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Smith Mortuary, Derby. Funeral Service: 2:00 pm, Monday, September 21, 2020 at Central Christian Church, 2900 N Rock Rd, Wichita. Interment to follow at Towanda Cemetery, Towanda Kansas.
He was preceded in death by his father, Morris Highbarger and an infant daughter Sarah Highbarger
Bob is survived by his wife, Linda Highbarger; children, Brenda Knipfer (Frank) and Amy Highbarger, DVM (Chris Ragland); grandchildren, Ryan Knipfer and Jesse Pearl Ragland; mother, Kay Smith; brother, Ron Highbarger (Judy) of Maine; and sister, Peggy Bratton (Roy) of Texas.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Central Christian Church Missions and Outreach Ministries, 2900 N Rock Rd, Wichita KS 67226.
Bob went to work for Koch Engineering in Wichita in 1968 shortly before Brenda was born that December. He worked there for 27½ years. The first 25 years were good career years. He was regularly given additional responsibilities and promotions. When he decided to finish his college degree his managers allowed him to move to part-time so he could attend daytime classes at Wichita State University. During that time, he worked on a special project to research the feasibility of adding computer aided drafting capabilities to the drafting process used by the company. Upon completion of that project he returned to full-time work for Koch to implement that CAD system. The next few years were rewarding for him as he worked to add this new system and subsequently managed a staff that developed an in-house CAD system. The last 2½ years, though, saw a change in leadership personnel and management philosophy. This led to his being “escorted” out the door on February 22, 1996. This was a shock but not a surprise.
Up to this point in our family life, Bob had not been a church attender. He was always supportive of my attending church and definitely wanted our girls to be in church but he just didn’t “need” it for himself. But God “needed” him and that next Sunday after his termination, February 25, 1996, Bob began attending church with me. We attended Central Christian Church, Chapaweeka class with Pastor David Mann. We were invited and joined a small fellowship group; all of which Bob continued to faithfully attend until his accident this past July. Bob went forward during Pastor Joe Wright’s invitation time on Sunday, August 22, 1999. He was baptized that very day in the CCC chapel by his good friend, Kent Brummer and Pastor David Funk. (I think Kent didn’t want Bob to get away!)
Bob would tell you that God used the circumstances of his job termination to show him that he could not do it “all by himself.” He accepted that he needed the Lord in his life.