He was born in West Bend on July 27, 1923, to the late Oswald "O.C." and Hildegarde (nee Braun) Claus, and was united in marriage with Gayle Reuterdahl at Hennepin Ave. Methodist Church in Minneapolis on Sept. 24, 1948.

After their marriage the couple resided in Charlotte, N.C. until September 1950 when they moved to West Bend.

Bob graduated from Stoughton High School in 1941 and then attended the University of Wisconsin, graduating in 1946. He attended one year of law school at UW in 1947.

Bob became employed by The West Bend Co. in 1947 as a territory salesman for North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee, and from 1950 to 1956 he was the district sales manager. He then became the sales manager for Route Sales and Sears Roebuck until 1963 at which time he became the sales and product manager for the Humidifier Division until retiring from the West Bend Co. in 1979.

Bob then worked as a consultant for Emerson Electric in St. Louis, Mo. from 1979 to 1983, and Bemis Manufacturing Co. in Sheboygan Falls as a national sales manager for the Humidifer Division until retiring in 1990.

Bob was president of the Kettle Moraine YMCA from 1975 to 1977, member of the West Bend Noon Rotary Club, The West Bend Co. 25-Year Club, the West Bend Country Club and the Kettle Moraine Bible Church.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Richard J. Claus II of Eau Claire and David (Gloria) Claus of North Fond du Lac.; two grandchildren, Matthew Robert Claus and Katherine Gayle Claus, both of North Fond du Lac; a sister, Ruth (Dr. John) Morrissey of Bend, Ore.; two brothers, Richard J. (Lois) Claus of Mt. Dora, Fla. and Roger W. (Mary) Claus of New Berlin; an aunt, Meta Chase of West Bend; other relatives and friends.

Memorial services will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 12:30 p.m. at the Myrhum-Patten Funeral Home, West Bend.

Co-officiating will be Pastor Rollin Wilson of Eau Claire, Pastor Mike Keshan and Dean Oldson.

Following the memorial service the family will greet friends and relatives at the West Bend Country Club.

Private graveside services will be held on Thursday, Nov. 30, at Washington County Memorial Park, West Bend, with Pastor Mike Keshan officiating.

It was Bob's wish that any memorials friends may wish to make in his memory be directed to the Bob Claus Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Kettle Moraine YMCA or to the Kettle Moraine Bible Church.

The family wishes to extend their deepest thanks and gratitude to Dr. Gary Preisler and his nurse Pattie, also Dr. Jeffrey Smale and the wonderful staff at St. Joseph's Community Hospital.