Obituary of Robert W. Booher

Bob Booher started his final journey to heaven on July 11^th at Hilton Head Hospital, at the age of 92, after a five-week effort to overcome several strokes. He was born in Dayton, OH, to parents Edwin and Mae Booher. He graduated from Ohio State University and remained a loyal Buckeye throughout his life.

Bob loved to be creative and make things which lead him to form Robert W Booher Construction Company.  The independence he had creating his own schedule was a perfect fit for him. He built everything – homes, apartments, condos, office buildings, and commercial properties throughout the Dayton area and later the Hilton Head, SC area. He volunteered to be project manager for the construction of the Bluffton Boys and Girls Club in SC and did so with the same dedication to detail and cost effectiveness he did in all his ventures.

Bob’s true passion was discovering all that life had to offer and he did it with great enthusiasm. He was anxious to try everything from sky diving to scuba diving. He loved to ski during the winter and water ski in the summer, especially if the outing included his family.

He served in the Army during the Korean War. After his discharge, he got his pilot’s license. He was an excellent pilot, owned several planes, and qualified for his commercial license. He took friends and family on adventures throughout North America and loved it.

In his 40’s, he began sports car racing with the SCCA in a Triumph Spitfire. In his rookie year, he went from driver’s school to a top 10 finish in the National Championship Race. He especially liked having his family and friends on his crew. They still share some great stories from that era. In his last year of racing, he won 6 races and a Divisional Championship title, setting 3 new lap records in his class. He  did everything well!

Bob never fully retired, although he and his wife, Darle, moved to Hilton Head full-time in 1992. He built a spectacular beach house they lived in and hosted many family and social events. Until 2022, he managed multiple apartments, homes, and condos in the Dayton area remotely. He flew to Dayton when needed to keep things moving in the right direction.

Cars, boats, and planes were all exciting to him. Because he was naturally curious and needed to know details about all of them, he was an encyclopedia, full of fun facts to discuss with anyone who showed an interest.  He owned unique representatives in each category and told stories about the ones he sold too soon and others he regretted not buying. Because he was a true Renaissance man, people of all ages enjoyed being with him and discussing these and any other subjects that came to mind. We all marveled at his knowledge and diverse interests.

He served on numerous boards and was a willing giver of time, treasure, and talents to help others. He always offered a hand to provide guidance to someone looking for a solution to a problem or situation.

Although he played golf and tennis for many years, his favorite activity was traveling. He loved the planning almost as much as the trip – he was unbelievably capable of putting together the most magical excursions. Bob and Darle traveled the world together during their 40+ years of marriage. 

Bob had a deep Christian faith and treated everyone respectfully. Darle and Bob were always a team, counted on one another, and increased their shared love with each passing year. He will be greatly missed by everyone, but especially Darle, until they are reunited.

Bob is survived by his wife, Darle, son Michael (Marcia); daughter Patricia (Nick Dager); granddaughters, Michelle, and Nicole (Michael Russell) and children Atlas and Oxford. His family also included Greg Neeb (Angela) and their sons, Tristan (Holly), Jake, and twins, Trevor, and Jackson; and Tracey Ribero (Joe) and triplet daughters, Lily, Emmy and Alex.  His heart was big, and he truly loved them all, enjoying the special qualities he saw in each of them.

A Memorial Service will be held at The Church of the Cross at 110 Calhoun Street to celebrate his life on August 12^th at 11:00 AM. Bob’s “bigger than life” character will be remembered by all the people he met and influenced in his lifetime.