Bob Wenke, devoted to disabled children

The elementary and middle-school students he tutored several days a week wrote touching letters of appreciation to retired Seattle businessman Bob Wenke.

"I love you Bob. Do you love me?" one child wrote.

The answer was an obvious yes.

Mr. Wenke's unselfish generosity toward children — the four he fathered and the disabled youngsters he championed through decades of community service — defined much of his life.

"He never gave up. He was a great leader," said Katie Dolan, a longtime fellow advocate who calls herself a "civil-rights worker" for people with disabilities.

"He was the stable person — the elegant person who could keep all the various factions together."

Robert Frank Wenke, a retired executive in the wholesale food business, died in his sleep last Thursday (Aug. 14) in Bellevue. He was 79. The family will hold a private celebration of his life.

His wife and children say he was an athletic, well-liked, thoughtful man who was always ready to do a friend a favor.

"He was a very even-keel kind of guy and always up," recalled his wife, Muriel. "I never knew him to be down."

Mr. Wenke was born in Tacoma on May 30, 1924, and raised in Seattle, where he graduated from Roosevelt High School. He earned academic honors and a varsity letter in baseball his freshman year at the University of Washington before transferring to the U.S. Naval Academy.

After graduating from the academy in 1946, he and Muriel were married.

Mr. Wenke served for four years after World War II, and participated in a Navy nuclear-testing project on the Pacific Island of Eniwetok. He later was recalled and served in the Korean War.

Mr. Wenke spent most of his working life with M.L. Davies Co., an exporter to Alaska and the Far East, and with Consolidated Fruit and Produce, a distributor in the Pacific Northwest.

To meet business demands, he left for work at about 4:30 every morning. The early rising left time in the afternoon for family and helping with household chores.

"He was always around to ferry us to activities at a time when it wasn't that common for dads to be doing that," recalls daughter Alison Dillow of Medina. "I remember my dad being around as much as my mom."

With an eldest son who is autistic and living at the state's Rainier School, Mr. Wenke and his wife were known for tireless work to create opportunities and establish rights for people with developmental disabilities.

Mr. Wenke was past president of what was called the King County Association for Retarded Citizens, now known as The ARC of King County. He served on the board of Friends of Rainier Inc., which advocates for residents of Rainier School and volunteered as a court-appointed legal guardian for several of the school's residents. He also tutored in the Bellevue School District several days a week for years.

Tutoring was a special joy.

"They just adored him. Even the toughest kids would bring him presents and loved working with him," said Kristy Raichlen, a teacher at Robinswood Middle School where he volunteered. "He was just a really warm kind person." Mr. Wenke stayed involved because he had difficulty "sitting around," says daughter Nancy Price. Even in retirement he woke early to check out e-mail and work on self-improvement.

Always willing to baby-sit the grandchildren, he tried to walk a mile or two and learn a new word every day.

An enthusiastic athlete throughout life, Mr. Wenke enjoyed tennis, handball, ice hockey, skiing and water-skiing. He played golf until falling ill in May.

Besides his wife of 57 years and Dillow, he is survived by sons Marc of Buckley and David of Kirkland; as well as daughter Nancy Price of Medina. He also is survived by a sister, Charlotte Gilbert of Bainbridge Island; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Remembrances may be sent to Friends of Rainier Inc., P.O. Box 516, Medina, WA 98039, or to a favorite charity.

Marsha King: 206-464-2232 or mking@seattletimes.com