Robert C. Langendoerfer

Robert C. Langendoerfer

Robert Charles Langendoerfer, son of Charles and Margaret Boden Langendoerfer was born September 11, 1919 on his parent’s farm near Idalia, Colorado. He started his education at the Star School near the farm, where his brother Harmon already attended. In 1927 the farm was sold and the family moved to Burlington, where another brother and sister, Wayne and Darlene were born. The family ran a motel on the north side of town; Harmon and Robert helped run the small grocery store on the property. In 1932 Harmon died of pneumonia, and the following winter the family spent in Corpus Christi, Texas where Bob rode his bike across a drawbridge to school.

Back in Burlington, he got involved in sports including track, football and basketball beginning in junior high and through high school. In his senior year the football team he co-captained came together to win their conference with no defeat and played in the state championship, but lost to Lafayette. The basketball team placed second that year also. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1938, and went to work driving harvest trucks and a tractor plowing fields. In the fall he began work at the Burlington Bakery where he worked for a year until he bought the Pontiac and Buick agency in Burlington with a partner. Later his father bought out his partner and together they ran the agency until he was drafted into the Army in November 1942. By that time, there were no cars to sell anyway.

He served in a Coast Artillery Unit at Ft. McArthur, California, with a Meteorology station until he was discharged in April, 1946. During the War, he married Anna Drager from Burlington on October 22, 1944, and she moved to San Pedro where they located an apartment and she found a job. Following the War they returned to Burlington where Bob built and sold five houses over the next several years.

They had two children, Linda and James. In November, 1951, after a year of poor crops, Burlington Building and Supply laid off all their construction staff. Bob attended a lumber course at Denver University, and in 1952 became assistant manager and yard foreman of the lumberyard in Laramie, Wyoming. The family moved, first to Laramie, and the following year to Flagler, CO where Bob was manager of the co-op lumberyard. In 1954 the family settled in Englewood and Bob began work at Stark Lumber, and later Denver Lumber Co. He started his own construction company and by 1957 was ready to make a go of B&B Construction. He ran it until 1970 when he began work as a code enforcer for the City of Denver, and two years later, a building inspector. He inspected construction of the Tabor Center, the 32-story 17th Street Plaza building, and the Embassy Suites complex, plus many warehouses being converted to office space, before he retired in 1985.

Bob and Ann enjoyed time in the mountains with Linda and her family. They took trips to Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest with Bud and Alice Boyles, Mexico with Glenn and Elsie Banks, and to see their son in Belize. Bob was an active bowler, as well as enjoying fishing and golf. They took pleasure in their Pinochle club, which was based out of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, where they were members since 1964.

He and Ann wintered in Arizona where they acquired a home in a retirement community and enjoyed the social life. Ann developed Alzheimer’s disease, and Bob patiently helped her cope throughout the 1990s. Eventually they had to stop traveling, and in 1997 sold the Arizona home. In 2000 Bob had hip replacement surgery. He involved himself with an Alzheimer’s Support group that continued to provide good friendships for a number of years after Ann passed in 2002.

Bob continued to live in his home, cared for by his son as his mobility decreased. He remained an eager conversationalist and enjoyed reading.

He is preceded in death by two brothers, Harmon and Wayne, and his wife Ann. He is survived by his sister Darlene Frieden; daughter Linda Bushman and her husband, Robert; son James; and grandchildren Charles Bushman and wife Sophie Guiny, Diane Bushman, and Karen Bushman.

Services will be held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.  Burial will follow at 3:00 p.m. at Fairview Cemetery in Burlington, Colorado.