Robert "Bob" George Dodge, age 63, born August 9, 1962 in Colorado Springs, Colo., passed away August 26, 2025 at Barnes Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Mo., following a courageous battle with mantle cell lymphoma.

Bob grew up living with his family in southern California. He enlisted in the US Air Force in 1981 and served under the nickname "Mr. Educator" until his retirement as Senior Master Sergeant in 2004. Among his many decorations, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, the AF Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and the AF Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters. While stationed at Rhein-Main Air Base in Germany, he met his future wife, Regina Boehme on the first day of his new job. They happened to be working together in the same office and they married on June 22, 1990. After retiring from the Air Force in 2004, he continued his work as a civil servant at TRANSCOM at Scott AFB, until 2024. Bob was a lifelong learner and while he deeply regretted not completing his PhD, we all know he is most likely already signed up for his next class in Heaven.

Bob was devoted to his family as a dedicated Husband, Dance Dad, Baseball Dad, and Dog Dad. He supported his children Kristina and Joshua during their dance careers, building and transporting dance performance props and really enjoyed managing the stage during performances. He enjoyed baseball games and working on projects with his son Joshua. He was very proud to have completed two marathons with coaching from his father. He cared for God's creatures, especially his dogs Lady, Rocky, Mona, Missy, and Emmy, even encouraging Regina to adopt a new puppy just recently. He attended the Baptist church and was a former Sunday School teacher.

Bob and Regina embarked on countless travel excursions and embraced adventures abroad. They enjoyed 37 wonderful years together and he will be missed tremendously as a husband, father, and friend.

He was preceded in death by his mother Judy, nee Kaufman, Dodge, his brother Ron Dodge, and his father and mother-in-law Erwin and Elisabeth Boehme.

Surviving are his wife Regina; daughter Kristina (Sean) Burke; son Joshua; father George (Lin) Dodge; brother Randall (Brenda) Dodge; and sister Sheree Dodge.

The family would also like to thank their friends of 30 years Ken and Dawn Hunter, Mary Ann Edelmann, and Jan and Rich Glass for their unending friendship and support throughout both happy and trying times, as well as making them feel at home in a new place.

Visitation will be held at 1 pm, Saturday, August 30, 2025 at Wolfersberger Funeral Home, 102 W. Washington St., O'Fallon, Ill., followed by military honors and a Service at 2 pm, at the Funeral Home, with Pastor Tom Dawson officiating.

Online condolences may be shared at www.wfh-ofallon.com. Memorial donations in memory of Bob are suggested to Belleville Area Humane Society ( https://bahspets.org/ ) and will be accepted at the Funeral Home.