Robert (Bob) Williams Applegate

Robert (Bob) Williams Applegate passed peacefully from this life on November 23, 2025.

Bob was born October 3, 1945, to Fern and Robert Applegate in North Platte, Nebraska. Bob was adored by his older sister, Marcia, who was five years older than he. Marcia tried to cook for her “Bobby” and often burned what she cooked, so Bob acquired a taste for burnt food. We all got a kick out of his requests for burnt toast!

Bob grew up in North Platte, Nebraska, and had several adventures in his childhood, including lighting a blow torch with his buddy George, throwing it up in the air, and having it land on his leg and catch his pants on fire. Bob and George quickly put out the flames and ran to George’s, where George’s mom dressed the burn wound. Fearing he would get in trouble for playing with a blow torch, Bob kept the wound hidden from his parents. For the rest of his life, he sported a four-inch swath of skin on his leg that never had hair grow in on it.

When Bob was 18, he joined the Navy. It was during his stint in the Navy that it was discovered that he sleepwalked. Well, the Navy couldn’t have one of their troops walking off a ship in the middle of the night! So, Bob received a medical release and did not get to continue his military service, though he would have fought alongside his fellow servicemen if he could have.

At age 19, Bob met Clidenna (Dena) McCollum. They dated for about 10 months before marrying in Denver, Colorado on June 19, 1965, five days after Dena turned 18.

Bob and Dena lived in North Platte for a few years, during which time they welcomed their first child, Byron Lee, in 1967. They moved to Denver for a short time, and it was there that they welcomed their second child, Kari Jo, in 1969. After the little Applegate family moved back to North Platte, Bob began working for the Union Pacific Railroad.

Bob enjoyed boxing, and he served as a trainer for one of his good friends. He also served as a volunteer firefighter with the North Platte Fire Department. During his training, the training fire was so hot that it started to melt his helmet, which hung in a glass case in the fire department for a number of years.

In 1971, Bob was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His sweet wife was baptized in 1972. In 1975, they welcomed their third child, Melinda (Mindy) Ann, who was followed in 1977 by their fourth child, Jana Lynn. In 1981, they welcomed their last child, Spencer David. Later that year, the railroad transferred Bob from North Platte to Omaha, Nebraska.

Bob and his family lived in Omaha until the end of 1984, when the railroad transferred Bob again, this time to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Bob and his oldest son, Byron, moved to Cheyenne ahead of the rest of the family so Bob could secure a family home in Cheyenne and Byron could start the second semester of his senior year at his new school there. Dena and the rest of the children followed a month or so later. On April 20, 1985, while living in Cheyenne, Bob and Dena fulfilled their dream of traveling to Salt Lake City, Utah where they entered the temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to make sacred covenants with God and to have their family sealed for eternity.

It was also while living in Cheyenne that Bob and Dena took a trip to Arizona, where they fell in love with the warm spring temperature and the desert landscape. When they returned to the freezing cold of Cheyenne, they started talking about moving to Arizona. Bob was offered a buyout (early retirement) from the railroad, and Bob and Dena decided to take that offer and move their family to Arizona. In August 1985, the Applegate family moved to Mesa, Arizona.

Bob’s greatest joy was his family. He loved being a grandpa. One of the funnest things he did with Dena was putting on the Santa and Mrs. Claus suits for family Christmas parties or to visit each of their kids’ homes to deliver gifts to their kids and grandkids. This role extended to friends and neighbors as well. Santa Bob and Mrs. Claus, we love you! We will miss our personal Santa dearly.

Bob is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Dena, his five children: Byron (Cora), Kari (Kevin) Peiers, Mindy (Daniel) Peterman, Jana (Bill) McCain, and Spencer (Tiffany); 21 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren (and one on the way!).

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Fern Applegate, and his beloved sister, Marcia.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 8, 2025 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 21915 E. Cloud Road, Queen Creek, Arizona. A viewing will begin at 8:30 that morning and will be followed by the funeral service at 10 a.m.

Arrangements by Bunker’s University Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.