Pisgah Forest - Robert Paul Burkhardt (Bob) passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 13, 2024.

Bob was kind, gregarious, and always had a smile on his face and was ready with a joke. He was a caring husband, and a loving father and grandfather. Bob was a faithful member of Lutheran Church of the Nativity in Arden, North Carolina.

He served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War as a draftsman. He attended college for three years at Valparaiso University for engineering and Bloomfield College for accounting. Bob worked at Otis Elevator as a draftsman, Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL) in life insurance sales, and Chanel in operations while living in New Jersey. In 2003, he moved to Asheville and then Penrose, North Carolina to begin his retirement and worked some at Walmart.

He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Wanda (nee Gentile), his daughters, Michelle Burkhardt Glass and Danielle Burkhardt-Mahlstedt, his son-in-laws, Roger Glass and Ryan Mahlstedt, his grandchildren, Rachel Lawrence and Ryan Robert Mahlstedt, Jr, and his brother, William Burkhardt. He was predeceased by his parents, William and Mildred Burkhardt (nee Scott).

Funeral services will be held 4pm, Thursday, January 18, 2024 at Moody-Connolly Funeral Home with military honors and the Rev. Sean Barrett officiating.  The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.  Burial will follow the service at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Online condolences may be left at www.moodyconnollyfuneralhome.com .

Moody-Connolly Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.