A message from Steve Shanley, Conductor
Cedar Rapids Municipal Band.
I am saddened to hear of Bob Sadilek’s passing.
No individual has devoted more time and effort to the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band than Mr. Sadilek.
He was a member of the trombone section during the 1951 inaugural season, joined the city band commission in 1977, and retired from both positions in 2020.
He also served as conductor of the band in the late 1960s.
I could always rely on Mr. Sadilek for programming suggestions, ideas for guest soloists, and the occasional funny story about one of my predecessors.
We are losing a great friend and supporter of the band, as well as decades of institutional wisdom about our group.
He will be missed.
— Steve
Robert “Bob” Sadilek, Jr, 85, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was called home by Our Lord on Wednesday, September 30, 2020.
Funeral Mass: 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 5, 2020 at St. Pius X Catholic Church by the Rev. Phil Thompson. Burial: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.
A visitation will be held on Monday October 5, 2020 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. As mandated by proclamation, social distancing must be practiced which requires a limited number of people to be allowed into the visitation at one time. The use of face masks or shields is required.
Bob was born on May 26, 1935 to Robert and Marjory (Smith) Sadilek. Bob graduated from Franklin High School and from Coe College with a degree in music. He spent 4 years in the Air Force Academy as a member of the Air Force Academy Band. While at the academy, he received a Master’s degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Bob met Judith Klimes while teaching at Buchanan School in 1961 and they married in 1963 at St. Ludmilla’s Catholic Church. They raised four loving children, Elizabeth, Julie, Joel, and Jennifer, in a house full of support and laughter.
Bob’s life was dedicated to teaching and playing music, as the band director at McKinley Middle School for 35 years; instrumental music teacher at Grant Wood, Tyler, Buchanan, and Squaw Creek Schools; and private trombone instructor to many successful musicians. He won multiple awards during his teaching career and led his band to the Iowa Bandmasters Association convention in the early 1990’s. He thrived on playing his trombone with multiple organizations throughout the years, such as the Cedar Rapids Symphony, the Veteran’s Band, and Dixie Notes Plus Band. He was a member of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band since it began in 1951, acting as the Chairman of the band commission through June of this year.
Bob is survived by his devoted wife Judith (Klimes) Sadilek; his three daughters, Elizabeth Sadilek-Labenski (John), Julie Mullett-Conner (Chad), and Jennifer Szymanowski (Chris); 16 grandchildren, Stefan, Adam, and Marek Labenski, Jay Lynch, Joel, Jackson, Jonah, Jake, Josh, Josie, and Joey Mullett, Sam Cummings, Ava, Blake, and Claire Szymanowski; 3 great-grandsons, Hunter, Bentley, and Kaeden Thompson; his brother Richard Sadilek (Jonelle), sister Shirley Paulson, 3 nephews and 1 niece. He was preceded in death by his son Joel Robert Sadilek (Jana).
Bob was a loving husband, devoted father, and dedicated teacher who touched the lives of his family, friends, and students through multiple generations. His kindness, dry humor, infectious laugh, and inspiration will be missed but never forgotten. Please leave a message for the family on our web page www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.
Memorials may be directed to the family in lieu of flowers.
https://cedarmemorial.com/Obituary/2020/Sep/Robert-Bob-Sadilek-Jr/
