Robert "Bob" Simpson Black

Bob Black dies; Service Held Here Monday

Bob Black, long-time Luskite and custodian at the elementary school for 15 years, died Friday at the Casper hospital.

Funeral service was held Monday at 2:00 p.m. in the Peet Mortuary Chapel with the Rev. Frank Bozart officiating. Mrs. Judson P. Watson, organist, accompanied Mrs. Hobart Cockreham, as she sang "The 23rd Psalm" and "Precious Memories." Casket bearers were Shelley Black, Bill Hammell, Raymond Rumney, James E. Rumney, Edmond Cook and Dick Hammell. Honorary bearers were C. J. Stafford, Fred Hansen, Vic Senters, Ray Taylor, Ray Owens, Tony Hytrek, Clyde Blackmore, Roy Turnbull and Fred Thomas.

Burial was in the Lusk Cemetery. Memorials are to the Cancer Fund.

Robert Simpson Black, son of Hugh C., and Julia L. Black, was born Aug. 23, 1907, at Akron, Colo., where he spent the first 11 years of his life. In the fall of 1918 the family moved to Edgemont. S. D. where he attended one term of school.

In the spring of 1919 they moved to the family homestead in northern Niobrara County. Here he attended a rural school and grew to manhood. For several years he worked away from home on ranches and in harvest fields to share with the home finances. In the early thirties he homesteaded near his parent's homestead and helped his mother with the ranch work. A few years later he sold his homestead to his mother and moved to Lusk where he spent the rest of his life. On October 4, 1946, he married Fannie Allen.

Mr. Black did carpenter work for many years and was custodian of the Lusk Elementary School for fifteen years until his retirement in August of 1972. During the years of his custodial work he especially loved the school children and made last friendships with them.

He was a member of the Lusk Congregational Church and the Rod and Gun Club. He was a past active member of the Odd Fellows Lodges of Lance Creek and Lusk. In September of 1945 he was appointed District No. 16 deputy grand master.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother and one sister.

He is survived by his wife, Fannie; a son by a former marriage, Robert of Holbrook, Arizona; a son William "Bud" Allen of Lusk; one daughter Helen (Mrs. Ralph) Thomas of Red Lodge, Mont.; 4 brothers, James of Great Falls, Mont.; Leroy of Sheridan, Charles of Odessa, Tex., and Arthur (Speck) of Lusk; 5 sisters Mary Wood of Sacramento, Calif., Elizabeth Mostad of Blackduck, Minn., Geneve Hammell of Edgemont, S. D., Gladys Rumney of Torrington, and Julia Cook of Lusk; 8 grandchildren and 1 great-grandson.

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