Robert Allen Hoven, 69, passed peacefully into the larger life on Sunday morning, Oct. 31, 2010, at Samaritan Nursing Home in West Bend.

Bob was born on Dec. 23, 1940, as the middle child and second son of Lorraine Graef and Alfred Hoven. He was raised in Milwaukee, attended Victor Burger Grade School and Rufus King High School, where he excelled in sports, particularly pole vaulting (his city conference record stood for many years).

Though Robert Allen Hoven was Bob’s given name, those who knew him from adolescence called him "Pinky," a childhood nickname bestowed upon him by his mom because his strawberry blonde hair and fair complexion looked "pink" in the sunshine. So, he was "Pinky" from childhood into adolescence. Bob was a dapper, happy, fun-loving guy who always drove a flashy car and had a cute girl beside him.

Upon graduating from high school, Bob matriculated in architecture at the private University of Houston in Houston, Texas. Upon returning to Milwaukee, he began his architectural career at the Howard Needles firm. In his mid-30s during a routine medical biopsy, Bob experience an allergic reaction to the anesthetic, which dramatically changed his life.

Always close to his sister, Judy, Bob was then embraced, nurtured and sustained by Judy and Paul and their boys, Keith and Kyle. Though still a Hoven, he became an honorary Ehmke in their households in Germantown and West Bend. Bob’s artistic ability and fascination with linear relationships and bright colors were nurtured over the years at Threshold, the sheltered workshop in West Bend, where he worked for 30 years. His expressive art work won awards at the Washington County State Fair and were displayed annually at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend.

Bob was an avid Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers supporter. Fall weekends were spent decked out in the appropriate team colors and enthusiastically cheering on his teams. His musical interests of country and basic rock music were always playing loudly from CDs in his room.

Bob is survived and lovingly remembered by his son, Bradley (Kristin) Hoven Nadler; grandchildren Justin and Jamie; sister, Judy (Paul Ehmke); nephews Keith (Lisa) Ehmke and their children, Abigail and Johanna; Kyle (Kristin) Ehmke and their children, Logan, Elizabeth, Ava and Luke; Tim Hoven and his family, Jill, Zach and Alise; Patrick Hoven; aunts; uncles and cousins.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and older brother, Tom Hoven.

A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 140 N. 7th Ave., West Bend. A wake will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. with the Rev. David Schoob officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Threshold Inc., West Bend.