Robert Karl Riker

On Monday, September 20, 2021, following a brief battle with covid pneumonia, Robert Karl Riker, loving husband and devoted father of 3, continued his eternal journey much earlier than expected at the age of 44.

Rob was born on July 11, 1977, in Bowling Green, Ohio to Carol (Berger) and John Riker. His childhood was filled with laughter and countless shenanigans with family and friends. Many of his favorite memories revolved around the farm, Wednesday night volleyball, ski trips, football and baseball, and the Riker pond. He graduated from BGHS in 1995 and one week after turning 18, reported to basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO in the US Army. After basic, he was assigned to Bravo Company of the 299th Engineer Battalion, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. Although he was away from his family and childhood home, he loved his adopted home of Texas and gained many brothers, forming bonds that can never be broken. Whenever asked about what he did in the Army, would casually say “demolition expert” followed by “It was a blast. Literally.” He excelled in the Army – the structure, discipline, brotherhood, and heritage all fit his personality perfectly. He would later often channel his former Sergeants’ sense of humor and sayings with the boys – even disciplining could be a comedy show when Rob was involved.

The Army also gave him something else – the chance to go up to Fort Worth and take a girl from TCU on a blind date on January 17, 1998. From that moment on, both Rob and Stefani were practically inseparable and were eventually married on December 30, 2000. After being honorably discharged from the Army, Rob worked several jobs but spent the most time with Loomis and later with United Site Services. Everywhere he went, his work ethic, loyalty, quick wit, and larger than life personality drew people to him. Rob was a people person as well as a detailed planner with a “touch” of OCD which allowed him to succeed in anything he did.

Out of all his accomplishments, nothing gave him more pride than his three boys. Gabriel was born on Father’s Day, 2005, William two years and one day later in 2007, and Zachary in March of 2010 during a freak Texas snowstorm. When the boys were younger, Rob was their favorite playmate and as the boys grew older, he became their loudest cheerleader. Making them laugh was always a goal of his and he tried to do it as often as possible. To say that Rob was a family man would be an understatement – his family was his cornerstone. He thoroughly enjoyed family vacations, road trips, camping, going to games, and school events but he was always happiest when everyone was together – just enjoying each other and relaxing.

Rob has been temporarily separated from his soulmate, Stefani, his beloved sons Gabriel, William, and Zachary, his father John, his sister Betsy, and many, many more family, brothers, and friends. He has been embraced in heaven by his mother Carol, grandparents Maisie and Bill Berger, Kathleen, Fran, and Karl Riker, Stefani’s grandfather Sloan Gentry, grandmother Eileen Applegate, stepfather Jerry Tibbetts, his Uncles Lamar Parker and George Riker, and his many cherished animals.

The family will be holding a celebration of life on October 24, 2021 in Royse City, Texas. In lieu of flowers, Stefani and the boys ask for memorial donations to be made in Rob’s name to either the Do It For Durrett Foundation, the Taya and Chris Kyle Foundation, or Operation Kindness.