Robert Donald Ellinger, affectionately known as Bob, passed away peacefully on May 25, 2025, in Decatur, Tex., surrounded by his loving family. He was 79 years old.
Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on September 8, 1945, to Donald George and Mary Jane Ellinger, Bob’s early years took him from the plains of Iowa to the beauty of Billings, Mont., and on to Preston, Minn., where he spent his formative years. He held a deep and lasting affection for Preston, returning often in later years to walk familiar streets and reconnect with memories and friendships that shaped him.
He graduated Preston High School in 1963. By 1963, Bob settled in Park Falls, Wis., where the family had a cabin on Schnur Lake. He was a member of the Dukes of Muskyland Drum and Bugle Corps. His sense of duty and patriotism led him to join the United States Marine Corps. It was during this time that he met and married Jill Michalski. Together, they navigated the journey of military life and he began flying F-4 Phantoms under the call sign “Ding”, with postings in Quantico, Va.; Honolulu, Hawaii (VMFA 212 Lancers); and a year in Japan in 1971, where Bob flew with the VMFA-232 Red Devils. Dallas was his last stop with the VMFA 112 Cowboys. He was proud of his service and the lifelong friendships forged during those years.
In 1972, Bob’s career path brought him to Texas through a position with Texas Instruments, marking the beginning of his long-standing connection to the Lone Star State. He eventually settled on a little piece of land in Sunset, Tex., alongside his devoted life partner, Terri Menotti, where he would spend the rest of his life.
Bob was a man of many interests, with a wide range of hobbies. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing, taxidermy, camping, and had a deep appreciation for nature.
Bob and Terri committed their lives to each other on November 22, 2010. He and Terri enjoyed spending time with friends at Brushy Creek Vineyards, where good wine, good stories, and good company were always in generous supply.
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