Robert L. "Bob" Foote

Robert L. Foote, 70, of Champaign, IL and formerly of Crawfordsville, IN passed away unexpectedly from complications of pulmonary fibrosis on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Bob was born December 2, 1953 in Springfield, OH the son of J. Lindsley (Lin) & Alice (Tanner) Foote. He married Cheryl Hughes on October 15, 1994 in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

He is survived by his wife, Cheryl; son Jonathan Cohen (Marji Smith); grandchildren Cora & Lachlan Cohen; and sister Karen (Michael) Retzer. Bob was preceded in death by his parents.

Bob grew up in Kalamazoo and received his B.A. from Kalamazoo College in 1976. He earned his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and started his career and earned tenure at Texas Tech University (1983-89). In 1989 he was hired by Wabash College where he was Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, retiring in 2017. Bob's research was primarily in differential geometry and his work was published in numerous journals.

Bob played trumpet starting in fifth grade, playing with many groups over the years-including at Kalamazoo Central H.S. Band, Junior Symphony, and K College. He was also an avid cyclist, with memorable extended trips by bicycle in the Midwest and elsewhere. Bob enjoyed woodturning as a hobby, and he was a member artist with the Athens Arts Gallery in Crawfordsville for a number of years.

A celebration of life service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign, 309 W. Green Street, Urbana, IL, on Saturday April 20, 2024 at 2pm. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorial gifts may be made to Kalamazoo College, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, and Union of Concerned Scientists.