It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Robert Bezel Rathgeber, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Bob was born on March 24, 1946, in Hillsboro, Illinois, and passed on December 13, 2025, in Fort Myers, Florida, surrounded by family.

He is survived by his wife, Karon, sons Bo and Michael, daughters-in-law Melissa and Christine, and grandchildren Ansley, Brenden, Michael Jr. and Aidan, who were the light of his life.

Bob was the oldest son of Robert and Imogene (nee Fustin) Rathgeber, and brother to James and Lisa. A newspaper man and storyteller at heart, Bob started working at The Bradenton Herald during high school, focusing on sports journalism. He graduated in 1964, married the love of his life, Karon, in 1966, and moved to Lakeland, Florida. At The Lakeland Ledger he covered baseball and the Detroit Tigers.

In 1970, he led his young and growing family to Cincinnati, Ohio for an amazing opportunity with the Cincinnati Reds as the Assistant Publicity Director. He returned to journalism at the Cincinnati Enquirer after a decade with the Reds and then relocated to Florida during the late 1980s as the sports editor of the Fort Myers News Press.

Bob's incredible memory and his ability to recall the most intricate details about an enormous number of subjects made him a trivia expert and a genuine conversationalist. Throughout his life, he never lost his passion for baseball. It took many forms: listening to the St. Louis Cardinals and Harry Carey as a young fan in Illinois; covering the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland during spring training; travelling with the Big Red Machine during his time with the Reds; establishing one of the largest and well-attended baseball card conventions in the country; and visiting every ballpark he could with his family.

Married for nearly 60 years, Bob and Karon shared a bond that was evident to all who knew them, build on mutual respect, support, and endless love. He delighted in spending time with his family, gathering whenever possible to create lasting memories together. Bob's caring and thoughtful nature made him a beloved figure in his community.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Bob's honor to organizations that reflect his love for baseball and community service, such as The Miracle League, Buddy Baseball, or VetBaseball.