Robert Burger Obituary

Robert John Burger, 92, passed away peacefully at home on March 15, 2025. Bob was the beloved husband of Marilyn J. Burger (nee Frey) for 66 years; loving father of Bob (Felicia), Tom (Susan), Jeanne Redmond (Brian), Paul (Jennifer), Mary Grace Stoll (Chris), and Cathy Gray (Steve); cherished grandfather of Bobby (Jenna), Chris (Kelly), John (Suzanne), Joe (Hayley), Mary (Jake), Mark, Anna, Steve, Caitlin (Trevor), Matt (Ashley), Adam (Kaela), Michael, Laura (Carl), Kelly (Bradley), Dan, Jack (Carolyn), Grace, Meghan (Mike), Stephanie (Jett); and proud great-grandfather to 18 children (Kate, Bobby, Caroline, Ellie, Jack, Frannie, Cooper, Cameron, Xavier, Theo, & Sebastian Burger, Reese & William Coffey, Hank, Jack, Evelyn, Walter, & Marilyn Redmond), along with four more children soon to be born. He was preceded in death by his parents: Florence (nee Breitner) and John Burger, and brother, Norbert Burger.

Visitation in his honor will take place Friday, March 21st from 4:00pm-7:00pm at Mihovk-Rosenacker Funeral Home, 5527 Cheviot Rd. (45247). Mass of Christian Burial will follow on Saturday, March 22nd at 11:30am at St. Ignatius Loyola Church, 5222 North Bend Rd. (45247). In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Cincinnati Right to Life (PO Box 19039, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219) or Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary (6616 Beechmont Ave, Cincinnati, Ohio 45230). 

The foundations of Bob’s life were his strong Catholic Faith and his devotion and love for his family. After growing up in Price Hill in St. Lawrence Parish, he spent his first two years of high school at St. Gregory Seminary.  After discerning that he was not called to the priesthood, he enrolled at Elder High School, graduating in 1950.  Bob was gifted with a deep bass voice, and he sang in the St. Lawrence choir and wooed audiences with his booming rendition of “Ole Man River.” He proudly served in the United States Army for two years, and he attended night school at Xavier University 3-4 days per week, while working at Procter & Gamble full time, and after ten years he earned his college degree in 1960.

This kid from Price Hill struck gold in 1957 when he met Marilyn Frey, and they were married a year later.  They were blessed with six children, born within a seven year time frame.  Their roller coaster ride had certainly taken off, but through all the challenges, they always trusted in our Loving God, that He would provide whatever they needed.  After graduating from Xavier, Bob took a job with Pfizer in pharmaceutical sales in 1960, and he moved his young family to Portsmouth, Ohio, followed by Detroit, before returning to Cincinnati in 1967, when he was promoted to district manager.  In Bob’s 32 years with Pfizer, he never missed a quota and was typically a national sales leader.  He turned down national promotions in order to keep his family “home” in Cincinnati.

Bob & Marilyn made Faith, family, and community service priorities.  At St. Ignatius Parish, Bob served on the school board, coached, and was one of the very first lay distributors of Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.  He started and organized the “250 Club,” which he founded to raise money to build the first St. Ignatius gymnasium, and after many speed bumps, this became a reality years later.  

Bob had a lifelong devotion to St. Joseph and to the Blessed Mother, and he funded the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto which is next to St. Ignatius School.  He considered it one of the “highlights of his life” when he and Marilyn made a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France and to the Vatican in Rome.  While they were present at the Vatican during a general audience with the pope, Pope St. John Paul II first publicly proclaimed the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary.  

Bob cherished his many friends, and he maintained lifelong loyalties to the Cincinnati Reds, the Bengals, and Notre Dame football.  He was proudest of his grandchildren, and he regarded each and every one of his 19 grandkids as “great.”  He was a prolific storyteller, and he put those skills to work in authoring a book about his life, which he titled, “The Original Bobby Burger.”  His primary intended audiences were his grandchildren, and he wanted each of them to know and understand the life and times that he grew up in, and he also wanted to share with them and any other readers his deep passion for his Catholic Faith.

As his health declined over the past year, he maintained a sense of humor, kindness, and grace, as he became progressively more dependent upon others, especially his loving and devoted wife, Marilyn. In the beginning of Bob’s book, which he originally planned on titling “All God’s Blessings,” Bob stated that his purpose in writing it was to “share with you the magnitude of God’s love and generosity.”  His book may sit on your shelf at home, but Bob and Marilyn’s lives have served as a living witness to God’s boundless love.  Those of us who have been blessed to be called their children, family, and friends are forever grateful!