Robert Uchner
has scabbarded his Knights of Pythias sword
for the final time in this world
and has parted company with his brothers
of Juneau Lodge No. 21
joining a host of passed and past
members of that noble fraternity.
Uchie's gone on to what we presume to be
eternal rest and reward.
eternal rest and reward.
As long-time Sergeant-at-Arms
Bob held his Pythian sword straight
up and down against his shoulder
up and down against his shoulder
and paraded the lodge hall
with due respect, observing the letters
of the Pythian laws
as best he could, with prescribed rigidities
and incumbent honor.
Bywords: Friendship Charity, Benevolence.
Bywords: Friendship Charity, Benevolence.
......
Walt Lohman:
SEE http://raccoonnews.blogspot.com/2012/01/uchie.html
'Uchie' breakfasted with Walt Lohman, Joe Beringer and me at Dave's, on 4.20.12.
By then, his presumed lead poisoning had done its work, and Bob was much slowed down.
I knew Bob since 1964 when I bought the stained glass windows out of the Arcadian Spring mansion that was being razed. I rescued the lovely windows in that Victorian manse that were being broken by a wrecking crew, apparently unmindful of their value. Bob helped me dispose of the badly damaged ones. Originally, I found his name in the Yellow Pages in that time before the internet.
We still have the one we kept, here at the Odd Fellows. The windows had a picaresque life of their own.
By then, his presumed lead poisoning had done its work, and Bob was much slowed down.
I knew Bob since 1964 when I bought the stained glass windows out of the Arcadian Spring mansion that was being razed. I rescued the lovely windows in that Victorian manse that were being broken by a wrecking crew, apparently unmindful of their value. Bob helped me dispose of the badly damaged ones. Originally, I found his name in the Yellow Pages in that time before the internet.
We still have the one we kept, here at the Odd Fellows. The windows had a picaresque life of their own.
Bob and I became closer when he enlisted me into the Knights of Pythias In April 1993. Bob was a member of that lodge, and the Waukesha Masons No. 137, AND The Odd Fellows.
CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP
We attended Pythian lodge meetings together twice a month at Juneau No 21 in Wauwatosa.
PRELATE HAT, KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
I came to know Bob as a generous person, who encouraged my Pythianism - ancillarily - with unique gifts, such as a Prelate's hat (above), a Dramatic Order of the Knights of Khorrason fez - he knew of my penchant for hats - a burlap Pythian tote bag, and many other things that he gave me, including my non-lodge-related zeppelin Graf Lakehurst Landing Crew pin. They all repose here at the Odd Fellows 311.
I wear the pin as I type this.
UCHNER AND I WERE ZEPPELIN AFICIONADOS.
http://www.airships.net/lz127-graf-zeppelin/history
THIS ANTIQUE PIN FROM BOB IS COVETED BY MY SOMETIMES CHURCH PEW-MATE,
DIRIGIBLE STUDENT + , WILLIAM REDDING, CIRCA 11 YRS OLD
...
CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP
We attended Pythian lodge meetings together twice a month at Juneau No 21 in Wauwatosa.
I came to know Bob as a generous person, who encouraged my Pythianism - ancillarily - with unique gifts, such as a Prelate's hat (above), a Dramatic Order of the Knights of Khorrason fez - he knew of my penchant for hats - a burlap Pythian tote bag, and many other things that he gave me, including my non-lodge-related zeppelin Graf Lakehurst Landing Crew pin. They all repose here at the Odd Fellows 311.
I wear the pin as I type this.
UCHNER AND I WERE ZEPPELIN AFICIONADOS.
http://www.airships.net/lz127-graf-zeppelin/history
THIS ANTIQUE PIN FROM BOB IS COVETED BY MY SOMETIMES CHURCH PEW-MATE,
DIRIGIBLE STUDENT + , WILLIAM REDDING, CIRCA 11 YRS OLD
...
My limited knowledge of Bob Uchner allows only a slice or snapshot here of all that he was. Additional tribute-payers will add to Bob's life picture, fill it in further at his memorial rites. (See text below.)
He transported infirm members of Juneau 21 to lodge meetings regularly. He shopped assiduously for cold cuts ahead of Pythian meetings and laid out a fine smorgasbord. Many Pythian men unlatched their jaws for giant Dagwood sandwiches in the lodge basement.
Once when my 26 year old daughter as a child accidently broke a stained glass window at church, Bob repaired it with closely-matching pieces of glass he had at his studio inventory on Saylesville Road.
He refused payment for his work.
In the course of that repair, and so many other glass constructions in his studio on Saylesville Road, he leaded the cut and fitted panes with a red-hot iron brazer and so doing, breathed toxic fumes. Time after time, endlessly, and that cumulatively finally did him in. ( Per his doctors at Woods veterans' hospital.)
One of the most friendly significant things he did for me was Biblical.
He visited me when I was sick. - Matt. 25
In 2005 I sustained heart trouble requiring by-pass surgery and internal parts repair.
Bob came to my bedside several times to cheer me. At first, I was not conscious; brain damage was suspected. Not thoroughly founded.
Bob was one of a significant group who kept me going
through a nearly year-long recovery, and thus this becomes part of my Uchner story.
...
Bob was a gifted artist. Educated in glass art in Germany, his talent manifested itself in drawings of various sorts, paintings, and glass designs.
~ His Christmas cards were one of a kind ~
...
I have a leaded piece that he designed and made:
A UCHNER HANGING PANEL HERE AT THE ODD FELLOWS UNIT 311
SEAL OF THE CITY OF WAUKESHA
SIGNED 'UCHNER' (AT GREEN ARROW)
NFS
...
Many are the churches for which he planned, constructed and installed beautiful leaded glass windows throughout his long career.
He transported infirm members of Juneau 21 to lodge meetings regularly. He shopped assiduously for cold cuts ahead of Pythian meetings and laid out a fine smorgasbord. Many Pythian men unlatched their jaws for giant Dagwood sandwiches in the lodge basement.
Once when my 26 year old daughter as a child accidently broke a stained glass window at church, Bob repaired it with closely-matching pieces of glass he had at his studio inventory on Saylesville Road.
He refused payment for his work.
In the course of that repair, and so many other glass constructions in his studio on Saylesville Road, he leaded the cut and fitted panes with a red-hot iron brazer and so doing, breathed toxic fumes. Time after time, endlessly, and that cumulatively finally did him in. ( Per his doctors at Woods veterans' hospital.)
One of the most friendly significant things he did for me was Biblical.
He visited me when I was sick. - Matt. 25
In 2005 I sustained heart trouble requiring by-pass surgery and internal parts repair.
Bob came to my bedside several times to cheer me. At first, I was not conscious; brain damage was suspected. Not thoroughly founded.
Bob was one of a significant group who kept me going
through a nearly year-long recovery, and thus this becomes part of my Uchner story.
...
Bob was a gifted artist. Educated in glass art in Germany, his talent manifested itself in drawings of various sorts, paintings, and glass designs.
~ His Christmas cards were one of a kind ~
...
I have a leaded piece that he designed and made:
A UCHNER HANGING PANEL HERE AT THE ODD FELLOWS UNIT 311
SEAL OF THE CITY OF WAUKESHA
SIGNED 'UCHNER' (AT GREEN ARROW)
NFS
...
Many are the churches for which he planned, constructed and installed beautiful leaded glass windows throughout his long career.
In 2005, while I lay abed in Waukesha Hospital, the E and R UCC church on Wisconsin Ave burned down. Bob had a window in that destroyed edifice. It was The Good Samaritan window, dedicated to an E and R friend of his.
On a morning following the fire, Bob went to the site and dug through the tumbled church rubble for The Good Samaritan window. Ironically/miraculously, it was the one (1) window of the various windows in the church that was not destroyed. Where it was sited outside the hottest fire zone was declared the reason it wasn't burned beyond saving.
Bob gathered up the pieces, cleaned them - a tremendous job that must have been - and rebuilt that window. When the church was renewed, the members of the congregation had Bob's Good Samaritan window mounted in their fellowship area, just outside the redesigned sanctuary. (Above photo.) It was the one window they had. They went temporarily with all clear glass to illuminate the high-ceilinged sanctuary.
Because of the fire damage to the Good Samaritan window, Bob had to plan and justify wooden cross members in the middle of the scene, but the result seems poetic, under the circumstances.
Worshippers at the E and R proceed into the sanctuary past this example of Bob's artistry and determination, the latter being also the members'.
Inscribed in tiny letters at the very bottom, the following:
...
A memorial service will be held for Bob Uchner
at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church
2016 S. Center Road, Waukesha WI 53189
262.542.7100
Friday, Aug. 24th 4 -7 pm
with visitation, then a Knights of Pythias memorial
and a Masonic memorial, followed by a regular public service.
Full military honors.
Come for all are welcome.
