Robert Blecha

Robert Ward Blecha was born on May 13, 1969 in Belleville, Kansas, the son of Robert E. & Marilyn S. (Johnson) Blecha. Robert grew up in Belleville and Hays, graduating from Hays High School in 1987. Following high school, Robert attended and graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in Hutchinson.

Following graduation from KLETC, Robert worked as a sheriff’s deputy in Norton and Phillips Counties. Robert always enjoyed building things and putting things together since he was a child, and this led him to start a career in construction and carpentry. Robert built many buildings on his own, and he was very precise and exact in his measurements and plans.

During his childhood, Robert enjoyed spending time with his heroes, his grandfathers Blecha and Johnson, learning their wisdom and listening to their advice. It was from his grandfathers that he inherited his construction and carpentry skills, and his passion for farming and agriculture. His grandfathers passed along much advice that Robert later in life passed along to his children, his family, and his friends.

Robert was always willing to help out local farmers, and later in life, Robert maintained a small farm near Garfield, raising pigs and chickens. He also enjoyed maintaining a large garden with Pookie, and also spent many hours in the kitchen, cooking and baking, following many of his grandmother’s recipes.

Family reunions, and time spent with family, were very important to Robert, especially later in his life. At family reunions, Robert would enjoy visiting with his cousins and extended family, and picking up advice and stories along the way, especially from his Grandpa Charlie, and his great uncles, Ernest and Edward Blecha. Family reunions also sparked an interest in genealogy and family history, and Robert enjoyed learning as much as he could about his roots.

Robert was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who asked, whether it be his children, brothers and sisters or his friends, he would always do what he could, where he could, when he could. His family was very important to him, he loved his children and his granddaughters dearly.

He was married to Wilaporn “Pookie” Khattiwong on September 28, 2009, in Cumming, Georgia.

Robert passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family, near Garfield, Kansas, on January 14, 2021, at the age of 51 years, 8 months and 1 day.

He is preceded in death by his mother; grandparents; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Robert will be forever remembered and greatly missed by his wife Pookie of Garfield, Kansas; son Ryan Blecha and wife Mackenzie of Hays, Kansas; son Robert Charles Blecha and fiancée Tabetha of Beaver City, Nebraska; son Rhett D. Blecha and wife Brooke of Beaver City, Nebraska; daughter Ricole Blecha of Lincoln, Nebraska; son Reese Blecha and daughter Raelea Blecha of Long Island, Kansas; daughter Natasha Blecha of Garfield, Kansas; and his granddaughters, Gentry and Charlie Jo Blecha of Hays, Kansas.

He is also survived by father Robert E. Blecha of Hays, Kansas; brothers and sisters: Rodney Blecha and wife Kathy of Lenexa, Kansas; Rochelle Massengale and husband Rich of Shiloh, Illinois; Randy Blecha of O’Fallon, Illinois; and Robyn Rogers of Olathe, Kansas; a large extended family of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins; and many friends.

Robert’s wishes were to be cremated with a private, family service, to be held at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home in Belleville on Sunday, March 14th, 2021, at 1:30 p.m., with Mr. Randy Paugh officiating. Committal services to follow at Tabor Cemetery, rural Munden.

Memorials are requested to the Robert Ward Blecha Memorial to assist with his children's and grandchildren’s future education, and may be sent in care of the funeral home.

Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home of Belleville assisted the Blecha family with these arrangements, www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com