ROBERT "BOB" NOVOTNY, 77, 2915 Nimitz St., died Wednesday, August 12, 1998, at the Syverson Lutheran Home. He grew up in Milwaukee,WI, where he was born on May 27, 1921 to Ralph and Florence ( Lindberg) Novotny. Bob served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II in New Guinea and the Philippines. He received his master's degree in social work from the UW-Madison in 1950.\r\nBob married Zeena M. Amend on June 17, 1950 in Perry, OK. They lived in Racine prior to moving to Eau Claire in 1952. \r\nBob was a social worker with Lutheran Social Services until his retirement in 1985. Over his 33 years with Lutheran Social Services, he was a counselor in their adoption placement program, marriage and family counseling, alcohol counseling and rehabilitation, and was a leader in the Hmong/Laotian job location program in Wisconsin. Bob was a director for the Homme Home for Boys and instrumental in starting the Kinship Program in Eau Claire. \r\nHe was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, the Uphill Ski Club, Ski Striders, and Sierra Club. He was a five time finisher of the American Birkebeiner Ski Race and was an avid bicyclist and golfer. Bob and Zeena enjoyed many travel adventures in their 48 years of marriage.\r\nSurvivors include his wife, Zeena; three daughters, Linda (Adam) Smrokowski of Westmont, IL, Teressa (Jack Hillyard) Novotny of Des Moines, IA, and Lisa (Mark Flaten) Novotny of Golden Valley, MN; nine grandchildren: Dan, Stefanie and Caroline Smrokowski, Caitlin, Brennan, and Ry Hillyard, and Nick, Natalya, and Kyla Flaten; two sisters, Lorraine (Harold) Larson of Rockford, IL, and Carol (Bill) Flint of Waukesha,WI. .\r\nHe was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Beverly Rudolph; and a special aunt, Esther Ludwig.\r\nMemorial Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church Chapel with Pastor Kurt M. Jacobson officiating. Friends may call from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today (Friday) at Lenmark-Gomsrud Funeral Home and an hour prior to services Saturday at the church.\r\nFamily requests memorials be directed to the Alzheimer's Association, 919 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago,IL, 60611-1676\r\nBob will be deeply missed and remembered with love by his family and friends.\r\n

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