04/15/2026
Robert Russell McCabe passed away just shy of his 80th birthday from complications of cancer, with his wife, Patti, and daughters Kristen and Jaclyn by his side. He was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, and a good friend to many.
A man of tall tales and a contagious laugh, he had a way of making everyone he met, even for a moment—feel special. The world will be a duller place without him in it.
Bob was born on March 29, 1946, in Detroit, Michigan, to Howard and Dorothy McCabe. The family moved shortly thereafter to Geneva, Indiana, where Bob remained a proud Cardinal, forever retelling stories of good times at the sale barn, post-game nights at the Cardinal Inn, and boyhood pranks in the cornfields.
Upon graduating from Geneva High with the basketball title “All City” (a title still under investigation as either self-proclaimed or rightfully earned), he spent two years at Vincennes University, earning his associate’s degree before heading to Eastern Illinois, where he majored in Sigma Pi fraternity life, with a business degree somewhere in the fine print.
After marrying the love of his life and moving her into a trailer behind his parents’ barn, he went into business with his father, making casket parts at W&M Manufacturing on Railroad Street in Geneva. Eventually, he moved his bride to a house on Lake of the Woods and relocated the factory to Portland, Indiana. What began as a father-and-son operation soon grew into a family affair, as his brother-in-law, sister, and mother joined in, expanding the business from one small factory into two, with the addition of Pier-Mac Plastics and, eventually, Accelerate Curing, Inc. A respected figure in his industry, Bob served as a past president of the Casket Manufacturers Association.
Bob was a faithful lifetime member of Geneva First United Methodist, where his slightly out-of-tune tenor was a joyful and unmistakable presence in the choir—and if he found something funny, his shaking shoulders had a way of spreading giggles through the whole congregation. He was also an associate member of the Island Fellowship Church of Palm Island, Florida.
Bob never missed a chance to tell a good story, share a laugh, or make a best friend. Life for him was best spent on the water, and it’s hard to think of a memory without swim trunks and a boat nearby. From pontoons on Lake of the Woods and Grand Lake St. Marys, to houseboats on Lake Cumberland, cruisers on Lake Erie, and finally speedboats on the Gulf waters off Palm Island, he was always happiest with the wind in his hair and Jimmy Buffett on the radio.
It was a rare day that ended without Bob and Patti stopping to watch the sunset—whether from their beach house in Florida or at their farm in Indiana. Madly in love and truly best friends, they adored one another and often held hands through the quiet moments they shared.
Bob was predeceased by his father, Howard McCabe; his mother, Dorothy (Kindell) McCabe; his sister, Kay (McCabe) Pierce; his brother-in-law, Jerry Pierce; and his nephew, Doug Pierce.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Patricia (Gartner) McCabe; his favorite daughters, Kristen (McCabe) Welker and Jaclyn McCabe; his son-in-law, Michael Welker; and his grandchildren, Kindell, Benton, and Robert Welker.
Services will be held at Downing & Glancy Funeral Home, 100 N. Washington Street, Geneva, IN 46740, on April 18. Visitation begins at 11:00 a.m., with the service at 12:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Geneva Volunteer Fire Department, which he supported faithfully after they responded to a fire at his first factory on Railroad Street in 1978—an experience that deepened his appreciation for their service to the community. Checks may be mailed to Geneva Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 203, Geneva, IN 46740.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Downing & Glancy Funeral Home in Geneva, IN.
Robert Russell McCabe passed away just shy of his 80th birthday from complications of cancer, with his wife, Patti, and daughters Kristen and Jaclyn by his side. He was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, and a good friend to many. A man of tall tales and a contagious laugh,
