Robert (Bob) Yeskie

Robert (Bob) Yeskie, of Hixton, WI., died Wednesday, February 1, 2023, at Black River Falls Memorial
Hospital.
Bob was born October 6, 1927, to Nellie (Amborn) and Charles Yeskie in Hixton, WI. He was the
youngest of 13 children. His mother died when he was just 4 years old, so he spent a good part of his
early childhood in multiple homes with brothers and sisters. Fortunately, he spent most of that time
with his oldest brother Maynard and formed a special bond with nephew Wallace Yeskie.
He attended schools in Disco, La Crosse and Hixton and graduated from Hixton High in 1946. He met the
love of his life, Virginia Hegge, while in high school and they were married October 2, 1947, in Lacrosse,
WI. They made their home in John Day, Oregon where their first son Greg was born. Missing friends and
family, they soon returned to Wisconsin and Bob worked in the Milwaukee area and later in La Crosse
where second son Dennis was born. Eventually, they moved back to Jackson County and raised chickens
in Lowe Creek. When the opportunity presented itself, they purchased a farm in Smith Coulee in the
town of Curran. There they had two more children, Tim and Christine and farmed together until
Virginia’s death in 1984. Bob continued milking cows until he was 86 years old. He always said he should
have kept farming because he never felt better than when he was working.
Besides farming and family, Bob loved bowling, hunting and softball. He enjoyed anything where he
could be a part of the competition. He loved playing, coaching, and watching sports and having
successful hunting trips. One of his favorite memories would always be the 2018 College World Series,
where his grandson Nate was pitching coach for Oregon State and they won it all that year. Bob
attended 5 of the 8 games and witnessed the championship while sitting behind home plate. He rode
the bus with the team and got out to the pitching mound to celebrate with Nate and family.
After he was married and living on the farm, he joined the Tuesday night County League at Pines Lanes.
There he met his good friend Arnie Rozmenoski and bowled as his teammate for the duration of the
league, approximately 42 years. He threw a 299 on a Tuesday night, missing the 10 pin on the third ball
of the 10 th frame. He loved bowling and met many of his best friends there. He also bowled couples
league with his wife Virginia for many years.
In 1988 Bob was inducted into the Wisconsin ASA softball hall of fame. As manager of the powerful
Hixton Club 95 men’s fastpitch team, his teams won eight consecutive Dairyland Softball League titles,
including going unbeaten four consecutive years, plus at one time having a league record 52 game
winning streak. Under his leadership Club 95 won five Wisconsin Class A state tournaments, two ASA
Great Lakes regional tournaments, and finished three times in the top ten in ASA Class A national
tournaments. From 1973-76 his Club 95 teams won 244 games and lost only 33. Bob’s teams won more
than 500 games over his ten year career. On those teams his sons Dennis was a HOF pitcher and Greg an
elite centerfielder. His son Tim played early on, but quickly chose milking cows over softball and did
chores while the team traveled. While Bob managed, the Hixton Club 95 team became known
statewide. On opening night of the 1977 Wisconsin Class A state tournament at Hixton, Bob managed
before the largest crowd to ever witness a softball game in Hixton, an estimated 1,200 people stood
seven deep on the streets surrounding the softball field. Club 95 would win that night and two days later
take home the gold medal of a 47 team field tournament. The players would bond through the years
and form friendships that remained strong until the end.

Bob also coached the Hixton’s Ripp’s Hardware women’s slow-pitch team to their best record of 36-4.
He retired after two years saying we were the toughest bunch he’d ever coached. There too he made
special friendships and wonderful memories.
He started hunting mule deer with family and friends out West in 1962. He hunted in Montana a few
times but most of his Octobers were spent in Wyoming where he met the Lyle Lund family. He spent
over 35 years hunting on their beautiful ranch and made some of his favorite memories on those trips.
He made his last hunting trip when he was 93 years old.
Bob loved the community and spent nearly all his 95 years in the Hixton area. We once asked him if he
was interested in moving to Nevada while three of his children lived there and his answer was “No, all
my friends are here.”
Bob is survived by his children, Greg (Beth) Yeskie, Dennis (Joan) Yeskie, Tim (Karen) Yeskie, and
Christine Dixon and former son-in-law Waide; grandchildren Jennifer Rogers, Nate (Brittney) Yeskie,
Kristina (John) Tennert, Allison (Luke) Gerke, Mike (Hannah Olson) Yeskie, Bryan Yeskie, Eric (Gabrielle
Marie) Yeskie. He is also proud to have 15 great-grandchildren and two great-great granddaughters.
He’s also survived by special nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents and wife Virginia, he was preceded in death by his siblings, Maynard Yeskie, Harold
Yeske, Mildred Nesseth, Harriet Svoboda, Spencer Yeske, Merlin Yeske, Esther Yeske, Ruth Sterling, Alice
Sweet, Vilas Yeske, Harley Yeske, James Yeske and a half brother Charles Yeske Jr., in-laws Beulah
Humphrey and Harold Hegge, granddaughter Kimberly Yeskie and great grandson Delaine Yeskie.
A special thank you to Dr. Raju Ailiani and his team at Gundersen Lutheran for giving us five extra years
with our dad. Black River Falls Memorial Hospital Urgent Care and 2 nd floor for all the wonderful care dad
received during our visits. And last but not least, a heartfelt thank you to Kim Sebron who always
seemed to be there for dad at the most important times.
Funeral services for Bob will be held Monday, February 13 at Our Savior Lutheran Church of Hixton,
beginning at 11am, with visitation from 10am until the start of service. Vicar Augie Hohl will officiate. A
visitation will be held Sunday, February 12 at the Jensen-Modjeski Funeral Home in Hixton from 2pm
until 6pm, concluding with a prayer service led by Pastor Elden Simonson.
Nathan R. Yeskie, Michael R. Yeskie, Al Jacobson, Eric Hanson, Steve Kirschner, Ron West, and Dan
Platteter will serve as pallbearers. Justin Rogers, Dan Rozmenoski, Gary Gamoke, and Lee Bergerson will
serve as honorary pallbearers.
The Jensen-Modjeski Funeral Home of Hixton is serving the family, 715-963-2311.