Robert L. Wasmond

Robert Laverne “Bob” Wasmond peacefully passed away at the age of 95 on February 7, 2021. He was united with his beloved wife of 71 years, Juil “Pat” Patricia Wasmond, who passed in 2013. Bob spent the last seven years talking about how much he looked forward to seeing his sweetheart in heaven.

Bob was born on January 1, 1926, in Elgin, Illinois to Ernest and Ella Wasmond. His brother Bud preceded him in death.

Bob was a graduate of Elgin High School and proudly served his country in WWll as an enlisted Private in the Army Air Corps. Soon after, he met his wife, Pat, a registered nurse. They were lifelong partners in love and business.

In his early days, Bob was a skilled mechanic and ran a service station and automobile repair shop with his father and brother Bud. Later, he managed an industrial plating plant. There wasn’t anything that he couldn’t fix or tackle, including building his first home on Aldine Street in Elgin near Wing Park.

In 1958, in pursuit of his dear wife’s dreams, Bob assisted Pat in founding Little Angels, a long-term care facility in Elgin that cares for children and young adults with developmental disabilities and complex medical needs. They were compassionate advocates for children and families in need. Little Angels owes its very existence to their vision and dedication. Bob oversaw operations and was on hand when anything broke down. Needless to say, he was on call and on duty 24/7.

Besides being a hard worker, Bob was a family man, loyal and true, who loved his kids and reveled in telling ‘Daddy’ jokes. Each night when he arrived home from work, each child would giggle to receive his infamous and playful ‘sock in the eye.’ Bob also loved to fish. He’d sneak away from work to take his 11 children down to the nearest creek and outfit them with makeshift poles made from broken tree limbs, strings and hooks. He always made the kids attach their own worms. Happy to take his family on vacation, Bob and his son, Joe, converted an old Greyhound bus into a luxury recreational vehicle complete with bunk beds, a bathroom, and a compact kitchen complete with an oven and stove. Christened the Red Witch, Bob drove his family all over the United States, including a trip to the White House, wherein the middle of the night, all the children got out in their pajamas to view the majestic sight. Soon after driving away, Pat did a quick headcount to discover that one of the children was missing. In a flash, Bob whipped the Red Witch back to the White House to find one lone child standing out front.

In addition to Little Angels, Bob and Pat opened Lolly's Dollhouse and Miniature store in Elgin in 1971. Lolly's continues to operate today under the management of daughter, Janet (Lolly).

Bob is survived by his 11 children: Joseph (Kathy) Wasmond, Paula (Charles) Stanley, Cheri (Philip) Heinrich, Cindy (Julio) Ramirez, Janet (John) Bayer, Shelley (William) Lewis, Mary (Gary) MacDowell, Robert Wasmond, Paul (Lisa) Wasmond, Patrick Wasmond, and Ellen (Benjamin) Edge; 23 grandchildren and 39 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Marklund Wasmond Center, a 501(c)(3) organization.