Robert C. Bieler, 89, of Emmaus, died Dec. 9, 2022. He was the husband of Ruth Bieler for 68 years. Born in his uncle Howard Fluck’s home in Barto, he was the son of the late Allen and Carrie Bieler.

He was a 1950 graduate of Pennsburg High School where he played football and worked at his father’s feed mill. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954 from Albright College, Reading, where he served as president of APO fraternity and class president for two years. While attending college, he met his future wife Ruth who was attending nearby Reading Hospital School of Nursing.

In 1955 he was drafted into the U.S. Army, 101st Airborne Division, where he served in infantry and became a radio school instructor at Fort Jackson, S.C.

He was employed at Bethlehem Steel, retiring after 35 years as a purchasing agent, having worked on purchasing projects including supporting the Navy for various nuclear vessels. He worked initially at Quincy, Mass., then at Bethlehem, where he and Ruth befriended their co-worker “couples,” their dear friends for life.

His retirement time was predominantly spent at Ocean City, N.J., where he became the unofficial mayor of 28th Street beach. He loved spending his time boating and beaching with neighborhood friends and family and enjoying happy hour and sunsets in his shore house backyard.

He was a big sports fan and loved the Philadelphia Eagles and Penn State football teams. He also enjoyed playing tennis.

He was a member and an elder at Faith Presbyterian Church, Emmaus, where he served as a Sunday school superintendent. He was a 50-year member of the Rural Lodge of AF & AM Masons in Quincy, Mass. He also served as a Cubmaster.

Bob’s happiest moments were when he was in the midst of family and friends throughout his fully and richly lived life. Kindness, devotion, family focus and faith were among his trademarks.

He is survived by his wife; sons, David and his wife, Marty, of Flemington, N.J., Scott and his wife, Deb, of Wilmington, Del.; daughters, Karen Via, of Virginia Beach, Va., Diane and her husband, Rich Fischer, of Pittsburgh; grandchildren, Jonathan, Lauren Stypula, Anderson Via, Katherine, Morgan Fischer, Marshall Via, Allison Fischer, Kimberly and Jordan.

Contributions may be made in his memory to Operation Smile operationsmile.org or at 1-888-249-3797 or Faith Presbyterian Church “Celebration Fund,” 3002 N. Second St., Emmaus, 18049.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Faith Presbyterian Church, Emmaus on a date to be determined.