IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Robert
Korb
October 11, 1943 – January 17, 2025
Obituary
ROBERT KENNETH KORB (Oct. 11, 1943 – Jan. 17, 2025)
We will be celebrating the life of Robert Kenneth Korb on April 6th at 5:30 PM at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. Bob passed away on the morning of January 17, surrounded by his loving family. He was a man of many facets and a myriad of accomplishments who brought a smile and a sense of humor to all his endeavors. He is survived by his first and favorite wife, Gail (nee Rust) Korb and by his four children Nathan Korb, Megan Korb (m. Brian Barnesky), Jason Korb, and Brittany Korb Qualley (m. Thomas Qualley). He also leaves behind four precious grandchildren: Lucas Korb, Grayson Qualley, Georgia Qualley, and Remington (Remy) Qualley. He was born and raised in Chilton, Wisconsin, the third of four sons of Elroy and Helen (nee Weber) Korb. His two older brothers Gerald Korb and Ronald Korb (m. Ann Sullivan), pre-deceased him. His younger brother, Kenneth Korb (m. Edie Mahlberg), his longtime business partner and dear friend, survives him and continues their business.
He served as a Marine Sergeant during the Vietnam War, handling top-secret documents and the crypto vault for 13 months. He spent a year at the Marine Air Base in Iwakuni, Japan before returning to Camp Lejeune and mustering out. He returned to Wisconsin and lived and worked in the Milwaukee area for the rest of his life. In 1975, Bob co-founded a business with his first partner, James Plute. His brother Kenneth joined as a partner in the early '90s, and today, their company thrives, with divisions including Argus, Global Source IT, Staffworks, Wise Choice, and Service First. Over the past 50 years, it has provided jobs to thousands. He was very proud of the business and the colleagues that he worked with.
The qualities he brought to his company were the same that defined his life: hard work, bringing joy into everything he did, a commitment to self-improvement, warmth and humor, competence, deep gratitude and generosity of spirit. His many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and brothers and sisters-in-law will remember his ability to make any family gathering a little more fun when he was there. Something about the way he laughed was infectious.
Beyond family and business, Bob's devotion to his spiritual life was unwavering. He was a lifelong member of the Self-Realization Fellowship, a board member and chairman of 25 years for Golden Lotus and Song of the Morning Yoga Retreat in Michigan, and had a strong kinship with many spiritual sages and teachers such as the Dalai Lama, Amma, Karunamaya, Peter Ragnar, Shiva Baba Yogi, and his dear guru Yogacharya Oliver Black. If you asked Bob what the principles of his life were, he would cite that profound spiritual core that sustained him every day. He rose every morning of his life from the age of 27 till the day of his injury, before anyone else in the house was awake, to meditate for a couple hours. It was his time of peace and loving devotion each morning of his life.
Bob loved many things: a good bargain (especially on a car), telling the same old jokes, summer art shows, golf and skiing in his younger years (earning the nickname 'Flash' on the slopes), plays at the Milwaukee Rep and American Players Theatre in Spring Green, and, of course, his Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, where he relished the music from the best seats in the house for over 50 years. He was a movie buff, could tell some good and not so good stories, cheered for the Bucks, and liked watching all the wildlife outside his window in the country. Above all, Bob never missed a chance to encourage those around him, often saying with a grin: 'I don't care what other people say about you — I think you're great!' His beautiful light and spirit will be deeply missed.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission (milmission.org)
We will be celebrating the life of Robert Kenneth Korb on April 6th at 5:30 PM at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. Bob passed away on the morning of January 17, surrounded by his loving family. He was a man of many facets and a myriad of accomplishments who brought a smile and a sense of humor to all his endeavors. He is survived by his first and favorite wife, Gail (nee Rust) Korb and by his four children Nathan Korb, Megan Korb (m. Brian Barnesky), Jason Korb, and Brittany Korb Qualley (m. Thomas Qualley). He also leaves behind four precious grandchildren: Lucas Korb, Grayson Qualley, Georgia Qualley, and Remington (Remy) Qualley. He was born and raised in Chilton, Wisconsin, the third of four sons of Elroy and Helen (nee Weber) Korb. His two older brothers Gerald Korb and Ronald Korb (m. Ann Sullivan), pre-deceased him. His younger brother, Kenneth Korb (m. Edie Mahlberg), his longtime business partner and dear friend, survives him and continues their business.
He served as a Marine Sergeant during the Vietnam War, handling top-secret documents and the crypto vault for 13 months. He spent a year at the Marine Air Base in Iwakuni, Japan before returning to Camp Lejeune and mustering out. He returned to Wisconsin and lived and worked in the Milwaukee area for the rest of his life. In 1975, Bob co-founded a business with his first partner, James Plute. His brother Kenneth joined as a partner in the early '90s, and today, their company thrives, with divisions including Argus, Global Source IT, Staffworks, Wise Choice, and Service First. Over the past 50 years, it has provided jobs to thousands. He was very proud of the business and the colleagues that he worked with.
The qualities he brought to his company were the same that defined his life: hard work, bringing joy into everything he did, a commitment to self-improvement, warmth and humor, competence, deep gratitude and generosity of spirit. His many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and brothers and sisters-in-law will remember his ability to make any family gathering a little more fun when he was there. Something about the way he laughed was infectious.
Beyond family and business, Bob's devotion to his spiritual life was unwavering. He was a lifelong member of the Self-Realization Fellowship, a board member and chairman of 25 years for Golden Lotus and Song of the Morning Yoga Retreat in Michigan, and had a strong kinship with many spiritual sages and teachers such as the Dalai Lama, Amma, Karunamaya, Peter Ragnar, Shiva Baba Yogi, and his dear guru Yogacharya Oliver Black. If you asked Bob what the principles of his life were, he would cite that profound spiritual core that sustained him every day. He rose every morning of his life from the age of 27 till the day of his injury, before anyone else in the house was awake, to meditate for a couple hours. It was his time of peace and loving devotion each morning of his life.
Bob loved many things: a good bargain (especially on a car), telling the same old jokes, summer art shows, golf and skiing in his younger years (earning the nickname 'Flash' on the slopes), plays at the Milwaukee Rep and American Players Theatre in Spring Green, and, of course, his Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, where he relished the music from the best seats in the house for over 50 years. He was a movie buff, could tell some good and not so good stories, cheered for the Bucks, and liked watching all the wildlife outside his window in the country. Above all, Bob never missed a chance to encourage those around him, often saying with a grin: 'I don't care what other people say about you — I think you're great!' His beautiful light and spirit will be deeply missed.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission (milmission.org)
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Robert Korb, please visit our flower store.
Robert Korb's Guestbook
Visits: 2
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors