Robert Hallett

Robert L. "Bob" Hallett, age 87, of Madison, Wisconsin, passed away October 3, 2014, at Agrace Hospice Care.

He was born in Lena, Wisconsin. He graduated from Green Bay East High School in 1944 and served in the Army Air Force during WWII.

He married Gert on October 2, 1948, in St. Patrick's Church in Green Bay, Wisconsin. His strength allowed them to be together for their 66th wedding anniversary.

He is survived by his wife, Gert; daughters Judy (Tim) and Joan (Paul); three grandchildren, Bradley (Rachael), Rebecca, and Brittany; two great grandsons, Ledger and Blake; two sisters Lois (Cal) and Ardele (Jim); brothers-in-law George (Norma) and Larry (Brenda); sisters-in-law Florence and Elaine; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Gene, and sister-in-law, Rita.

Bob started working at Wisconsin Bell in 1947, and worked there for 34 years, until he retired at age 55. He had been a member of Wisconsin Pioneers ever since. Retiring at age 55 gave Bob a long, leisurely retirement which he enjoyed. Our parents loved to travel throughout the United States and took various cruises with family and friends, including cruises to the Panama Canal and Alaska. The trip to Tokyo, Japan, with Joan and Paul and friends Betty and Earl was especially memorable. Camping was also a big part of our lives. Practically every weekend of every summer was spent camping with friends and family, enjoying Old Fashioned's during happy hour. Our dad especially enjoyed sitting around the campfire, talking non-stop, telling stories and jokes, while sipping Amaretto with "putsom."
Our dad's greatest passion, however, was woodworking. One of the reasons he retired at 55, he said, was that his job was interfering with his woodworking. He worked on many things from finishing basements to framing. His work is displayed in many homes and businesses of family and friends throughout the World. Cutting boards were taken to China and Dominican Republic. He made wood crosses for church for student projects, berry baskets, candle sticks, Nativity scenes, names for children and the desk top professional, not to mention hundreds of picture frames for posters, photos, and needlework, and thousands of plaques of pictures, wedding announcements, news clippings, and graduation announcements. The collection of intricate "toys" he made included all types of cars, trucks, fire trucks, trains, planes, golf carts, motorcycles, bulldozers, backhoes, farm and construction machinery, one of which is displayed at Carl F. Statz & Sons and took first prize in the 2002 Waunakee Toy Show. Two golf carts were autographed by Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly for a charity auction. He even made giant tags for display use at the World Dairy Expo. He then built a crate to ship these tags to California for display at a dairy expo. Throughout the years his talents progressed to more intricate projects of hand carving and Intarsia. While camping he would carve characters of people and animals. His Intarsia pieces included birds, water fowl, bears, moose , wolves, wales, dolphins, horses, cats and dogs, landscapes, Northwoods art, to name few, and even a Bucky Badger. To say our homes are full of wood art from our dad is an understatement. If it is made of wood in our home, it was made by our dad. If the piece contains a sticker saying "From the Woodshop of Bob Hallett," it was made by our dad. His house no longer smells of freshly cut wood and varnish, the saw dust has settled, and the saws have gone silent. Our needlework is complete as we cannot bear to hang something on the wall not framed by our dad. But we will hold his memories in our heart and soul and with all the wood symbols of love he left behind.

Memorial services will be private. Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road Madison
(608) 238-3434