Robert Henry Van De Walle of Hondo, 84, passed away July 1, 2023.

Born in San Antonio, Texas on July 28, 1938, he was the son of Henry Leonard and Laura Della Persyn Van De Walle. Robert, or "Bob" to most, was raised on the family farm in San Antonio, the second oldest of 11 children and one of the original Belgian-American farmers from the Southside of San Antonio. He told stories of milking the family cow early every morning so the family would have milk at breakfast. He worked on the farms from an early age, claiming to have been driving a tractor by the time he was 6 years old.  He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1956 and from St. Mary's University in 1960.

Bob met the love of his life, Anna Taylor at a dance in Castroville. She went home with her cousin that night and told her, "I met the man I'm going to marry tonight" after dancing with the handsome stranger. He was similarly smitten, and they were married on June 18, 1960, after which they moved to Fort Sill, Oklahoma where Bob was assigned as a second lieutenant in the US Army. After two years in the Army, they returned to the Van De Walle & Sons Farms in San Antonio with their first child, Brian in tow in 1962. In 1968, Bob and Anna moved back to Anna's hometown, Hondo, with three additional children, Curt, Steven & Stacie to start a new vegetable farm. In the following years, they would add three more children, Robert Henry, Jr. "Beau", Anthony "Tony" and Thomas "Tom", making the total number seven kids (the number of perfection).

He later started the Hondo Manufacturing Company, making fiberglass boats, camper shells, farming planters and just about anything you could imagine out of fiberglass. He also served as the President of Van De Walle Farms, served on the Board of Directors for Gill Savings, was a realtor, and worked for the Health and Human Services Department, ensuring home-bound and elderly citizens received the care they needed.

Bob was a leader in his family, community, and church. He taught catechism classes to two generations of kids and young adults at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, served as the President of Parish Council, and later served on the staff for a number of ACTS Retreats. He was the spiritual leader of the family and ensured his kids were on the second row of church every Sunday, all 7 of them, close enough for the priest to see if they were "acting up."  He was a Cub Scout leader and a Little League coach, and he loved to hunt, fish and golf.

Bob's crowning achievement was in the way he cared for his wife, Anna, for 16 years after she was stricken with an illness that left her almost completely paralyzed. Bob became a full-time caregiver and set aside all his hobbies and past times to care for her, making sure she still made it to church every week, which was a highlight for her and often the only social interaction she received. Medical providers marveled at how well he took care of Anna, and he did so without ever complaining but accepted it as "God's will." To this day he stands for many as an example for a man honoring his wedding vows.

Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Anna; his parents, Henry and Laura Van De Walle; his in-laws, Tony and Lorine Taylor; sister Jeanette (Ken) Zeman; and brother, Tom.

Bob will be lovingly remembered by his children and their spouses, Brian (Karen), Curt (Kim), Steven (JoAnn), Stacie (Jeff) Carter, Robert Henry, Jr "Beau" (Annessa), Anthony "Tony" (Jill), and Thomas "Tom" (Delayne). He will never be forgotten by his 16 grandchildren, Jacob Mitchell, Kade, Elizabeth (Steven) McCain, Jacob Aubrey (Kiara) Carter, Laura (Campbell) Janse, Blake, Anna Carter, Katherine, Hope (Seth) Clayton, Mark (Allison), Morgan, Trey, Benjamin "Truitt", Emmie, Taylor and Myles. His legacy also includes four great-grandchildren, Cole and Tyler Carter and Benjamin and James McCain.

He is survived by his siblings and spouses, Paul (Barbara), Tom's wife Lillian, Eugene (Madelyn), Henry (Melissa), Marilyn (Andy) Murray, Elaine (Bert) Thompson, Chris, Danny (Lori), and Suzanne (Greg) Hannah, as well as his in-laws and spouses, Bob (Carol) Taylor, Ron (Jimie) Taylor, Nancy (Stan) Scott, an Jayne (Gary "Butch") Scheele.

Gathering will begin at 8:30 a.m. and Rosary will be Friday, July 7, 9:00 am, at St. John's Catholic Church and Funeral Mass at 9:30 am. Interment will follow at Hondo Cemetery, St. John's Mausoleum with a reception following.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the St. John's Youth Pavilion Project or Medina County Food Pantry.