Death date: Sep 27, 2018
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Mr. Robert William Topel Indian Land, S.C.Sun City Carolina Lakes — Robert (Bob) William Topel, 69, died suddenly Thursday, September 27, 2018 at his home. He leaves his wife of 32 years, Caroline (Close) Topel, his daughters, Leslie Topel of Lisle, IL, Melinda Topel of Kansas City, MO and Roberta Burgess of Casa Grande, AZ; many grandchildren and great grandchildren; and nephews Tommy Perry and Edward Perry. He was preceded in death by his sister, Bonnie (Topel) Perry and his parents, William Topel and Myrtle (Jerde) Topel.Bob was born in Waukegan, Illinois where he attended Waukegan High School. Bob started his aviation career at North Central Airlines in 1968 at O’Hare airport in Chicago, IL. He worked there until 1977 when he was promoted to Station Services Manager at Mitchell Field in Milwaukee, WI where they earned the Station of the Year award three times. After Milwaukee he became the Republic Airlines District Manager - Washington DC, responsible for Dulles International, Regan National and Baltimore airports. When Republic merged with Northwest Airlines in 1986 Bob moved back to Chicago but at Midway Airport this time. He managed that station until 1997 when he transferred to Charlotte NC. He left Northwest Airlines in 2002 and started working for the City of Charlotte at the airport. He was in the operations department, and retired in 2014 as the Landside Manager responsible for the parking lots, bus operations, taxi and limo services. During his career Bob worked on a lot of construction projects at the airports and would admire his work when he flew into those airports years later. Bob enjoyed his aviation career and was proud of what he accomplished during those years.Bob was interested in history and genealogy and after retiring he was working on tracing his ancestry. Bob & Caroline traveled to many cemeteries to locate ancestor’s graves, and visited county and state offices to view records for his family tree. Unfortunately he was not able to complete his “Book” before his death. Bob’s memorial service will be Saturday October 6, 2018 at the Lake House Ballroom in Sun City Carolina Lakes, 1353 Del Webb Boulevard, Fort Mill, SC 29707. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. followed by a short service starting at 3:15 p.m.In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Heart Association via the internet at https://www2.heart.org/site/SPageNavigator/donatenow_heart_alt.html&s_src=comp_home or to AHA National Center, 7272 Greenville Ave.,Dallas, TX 75231Arrangements made by Wolfe Funeral Home, Fort Mill, SC.Read Obituary
I am shocked to read today that Bob has passed away, time flies and when I have a moment I google past friends that I have not heard from and today my condolences to the family even after the time of his passing.
Rest in Peace
My friend, the many memories of the North Central days and beyond will always remain in my heart. Bruce n Joni Koski Olive Branch, MS
My wife and I worked with bob in Chicago. Became good friends. We both moved to different cities but stayed in contact. Such a good person to die at a young age. rip bob
Love you daddy you where my rock someone i could always go to for sound advice without judgement miss u so much
I worked with Bob at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. It took about a year for him to warm up to me and the team he took over in Landside operations. Bob had the best poker face I have ever seen in my life. You would never know if he was serious or playing with you. And he was so sarcastic. Like I said before it took me and the team a long time to figure him out. But let me tell you this, he was just hiding that he was an amazing man and a big softy at heart. He didn't like to let a lot of people at work see that side of him. However before he retired from Landside he had truly became a mentor and a good friend to many of us. We enjoyed a lot of laughs and good times together as I used to drive him a round the Parking lots like Morgan Freeman in Driving Miss Daisy. He will truly be missed. My heart goes out to family and friends. And I ask the most high God to bless his soul and may he rest in peace. Your friend Derek J Wingo.
Bob was one funny guy - he had such a dry sense of humor. I remember him fondly and grateful that I got to work with him while he was at CLT. We are thinking of Bob and his family during this time. - Lauri G.
My heart goes out to the Topel family. I worked with Bob as our Landside Operations Manager at CLT and he was a great person.
My heart goes out to Mr. Topel's family. May God be your comforter and may He give you strength to ride through this trying period. For the brief period Robert was our Landside Manager at Charlotte Douglas Airport, I came to learn the ideal of a strategic thinker. He was the calm that cool the storm of the time. Bob was a good man and may his soul rest in peace. Amen. From DON.
Daddy, you have always been my rock, the one who I talked to during every season of my life, my best friend. I can't believe you're gone. Leslie
