Robert J. Conine

Robert J. Conine

September 6, 1932 – December 20, 2023

Survived by wife, Margaret “Maggie”; daughter, Traci Damrow (Scott); grandchildren, Simon and Jadelyn Damrow; daughter, Kimberly Bogatz (Frank); grandchildren, Charlie and Jack Bogatz.

SERVICE: Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at 1pm at the West Center Chapel, with VISITATION from 12:30pm.  Graveside Service: Wednesday, 2:30pm at Omaha National Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to ENOA (Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging), Alzheimer’s Association, or Nebraska Humane Society.

Robert Jack Conine (Bob) was born on September 6, 1932 in Cheyenne, Wyoming to Robert Francis and Eleanor Ruth Conine, and had a sister, Dorothy Walters, who he adored from the day she was born. Dorothy and his parents all preceded him in death. Bob passed away December 20, 2023, the day before what would have been Dorothy’s 89th birthday. The family takes comfort in knowing he joined her for her birthday.
In 1950 after high school, he moved to Chicago to attend North Park University. In 1952, he joined his father in Cheyenne working as an apprentice with Union Pacific until he joined the Army in 1954. He worked in the Army Corps of Engineers office at West Point, before stationed in Colorado as part of the Army’s Search and Rescue Ski Patrol.

After the Army, he found his talent in sales and office management working for Singer Sewing Machine until he was recruited to work for Mutual of Omaha in 1958 where he worked until he retired. His 37 years with Mutual took him to Montana, Memphis, and to San Francisco, where he met and married (1973) a younger woman from Ireland, Margaret (Maggie) Fitzpatrick.

Bob and Maggie moved to Omaha, Nebraska in 1973, where their daughters Traci and Kim were born. Bob was an awesome girl father, fierce protector, and encouraged his daughters to be independent and to pursue knowledge in anything that sparked their curiosity.
Bob’s hobbies included flying his Mooney airplane, reading, computers, being an early adopter of the latest technology and gadgets. With access to so many gadgets and constant weekday, cross country “business trips,”  the kids would often joke that Bob was secretly in the CIA. Bob never confirmed or denied this theory, but would just smile at each wild question and theory.

Traci married Scott Damrow and has two children, Simon (16) and Jadelyn (12). Kim married Frank Bogatz and has two boys, Charlie (10) and Jack (7). Bob loved building special bonds with his grandchildren.
Bob and Margaret had been married for 50 years and up until recently both lived in the same home they bought in 1973. Bob was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2017 and Maggie had been his caregiver ever since. She has diligently held up her promise to keep him at home until his care needs became too much in 2022.