Robert “Bob” W. Lager, 82, of Miller, passed away, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, at the Good Samaritan Society in Miller.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Oct. 21, at the First Presbyterian Church in Miller with Pastor Robert Brooks officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Artesian. A prayer service with Masonic rites will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 20, with a visitation two hours prior, all at the church. Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Bob’s arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to the Miller Community Center, 526 N. Broadway Ave, Miller, SD 57362 or Hands of Hope, PO Box 144, Miller, SD 57362. 

Robert W. Lager, son of Charles H. and Ruth (Lambert) Lager, was born July 9, 1940, at the Methodist Hospital in Mitchell. He attended grade school at Manley School District #36 for eight years and graduated from Fedora High School in 1958. 

He attended Dakota Weslyan University in Mitchell for a short time and worked for Terrace Park Dairy in Sioux Falls for three years.  Bob was employed at First National Bank of Miller, later known as First State Bank, from September of 1962 until Dec. 27, 2002. He retired as Vice President after forty and a half years of dedicated service to the banking industry. 

Bob married Barbara Rowen on Jan. 22, 1961, in Wessington, and to this union, three children were born.

Bob and Barb were actively involved in the community. They were active members of the First Presbyterian Church in Miller. Bob was a member of the Masonic Lodge and was a past master, receiving his 50-year pin on Feb. 9, 2015. He was the president of Kiwanis, a service club member, a member of Wall Lake Hunting Club, blood donor for the United Blood Service, and past president of Miller Golf Course. He was a veteran van driver for four years, driving veterans from the Miller area to their medical appointments in Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, or Pierre. 

Bob was a Master of Ceremony for the Miller wrestling team’s homecoming and a public address announcer for many wrestling tournaments. He was awarded the Joel Haring “I Love Wrestling” Award at Miller High School on May 1, 1988. He was inducted to the South Dakota Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005 under a new category of Outstanding Fan and Supporter of Wrestling. He was also awarded the “Friends of Athletics” plaque at Miller High School on May 10, 2010, in recognition for Outstanding Support and Service to Miller Athletics. He was inducted into the Miller Rustler High School Hall of Fame on Dec. 19, 2014.

Bob is survived by his wife of 61 years, Barb; sons, Todd (Jeanne) of Mission Viejo, Calif., and Wade (Patti) of Freeman; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; sister, Lila Jean Annis of Mesa, Ariz.; brother, Don (Shirley) of Sioux Falls; sister-in-law, Donna of Sioux Falls; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Barry; brother, Gary; and parents-in-law, Earl and Loretta Rowen.