Robert Byron Hackler

September 16, 1938 – June 9, 2014

Robert Byron Hackler, 75, of Whidbey Island, passed away on Monday, June 9, 2014; a result of cardiac arrest following a stroke three weeks earlier.

He is greatly missed by his family and friends. His wife, Eileen, spent much of her time taking special care of him during his stay in the hospital. Her love and devotion to him is very much appreciated by his children.

Bob was born on Sept. 16, 1938, in Seattle to Perry and Hattie (Landaas) Hackler; the youngest of two sons. He grew up in King County, and graduated from Auburn High School.

He has four loving children from his first marriage to Shirley Sparks: Donna (Dennis) Jeffery, Robert (Wanda) Wilkinson, Richard (Nylyn) Hackler, all of Utah; and Russell (Nichole) Hackler, of Indiana.

On Nov. 26, 1976, he married Eileen Fay Kovack, which added to the family her two sons, Brian and Mathew. Family was very important to Bob, and he wished all his children and grandchildren had been able to live near him. His dear friend, Donna Waters, and her children who called him Grandpa, were wonderful substitutes for his own children and their families, who were so far away. He also had the great opportunity to have Mathew and his two daughters with him for most of the last year of his life.

Bob was a proud graduate of the University of Washington; his class ring was something he always wore throughout his life. He made time to teach and play with his children, and was a great little league baseball coach for his sons. He had a passion for golf, which he enjoyed playing as often as possible. On rare occasions when he could play with his sons or grandsons there was always a competition to see if they could beat him, and they rarely, if ever, did.

He worked for the federal government in the Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division in Seattle and Spokane, Wash., and Fresno, Calif. After his retirement 20 years ago, he moved to beautiful Whidbey Island and there enjoyed a second career as a school bus driver. He came to love the children that rode his bus, and looked forward to seeing them again each new school year.

Bob is survived by his wife, Eileen; children, Donna, Rob, Rick, Russ and Mathew; grandchildren, Ashton, Jason, Kenton (Daisia), Landon (Emily), and David Ryan Jeffery, Andelyn (Justin) Smith; Justin, Bryan, Shae-Lyn, Jordan, and Braden Wilkinson; Hayden, Bryson, Kaylie, Ashlyn, and Ayvree Hackler; Rolf Anders and Berit Hackler; Destiny and Sarah; great-grandchildren, Kimber, Briar, Kayden, Xander, and Ethan Jeffery; and brother, Warren. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Brian; and sister-in-law, Marie.

Friends and family attended a viewing and memorial service at Evergreen-Washelli Funeral Home, 11111 Aurora Avenue North, in Seattle, June 15 and June 16, 2014. An inurnment followed at Evergreen Memorial Park.

A memorial service will be held on Whidbey Island at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 22, at Whidbey Evangelical Free Church, 874 Plantation Dr., Greenbank. Officiant is Pastor Dave Stevenson.

All are invited to attend.