Bob was born September 22,1943 in Dallas, Texas. He grew up in Highland Park, TX where he lived an idyllic childhood. His wild teenage years were very novel worthy. He made many lifelong friends during this time; he loved them dearly and stayed connected with them throughout his and their lives.

After his graduation from Highland Park High School, Bob enlisted in the Marine Corps. This chapter of his life helped tame the wild man that he was. Second to his family, the Marine Corps was one of his proudest accomplishments. He enlisted with some of his best friends and the stories they told defined their young adulthood and provided hours of entertainment for his family. He was so proud to be a Jarhead and to be a part of such a special brotherhood. 

Bob graduated from the University of North Texas and from there entered the mortgage world. Although, unknowing at the time, this changed the trajectory of his life forever, because he met his soulmate and the love of his life, Karen. They worked together and Karen couldn’t resist the Novak charm. In 1973, Bob and Karen were married. During the 1980’s, they welcomed two children Wes and Lindsay. They were blissfully married almost 49 years. 

Bob spent 40+ years in commercial banking. Fifteen of those years were spent at Republic Bank in Dallas. During the mid-80’s Bob accepted a job in Phoenix, AZ and moved his family to the Sonoran Desert. After a few years and new friends, he moved the family back to Richardson, TX. In the mid-90’s another defining moment arose when he moved his family to Colorado. It was there that Bob would be blessed with his wonderful daughter-in-law Andrea and a son-in-law John whom he loved as much as his own children. He was also blessed with six grandchildren Dallas, Camryn and Reese Novak, as well as Isaak, Finley, and Lincoln Puhalla. Bob loved his family more than anything 

Bob was a gleaming example of what a husband and father should be. He loved his wife more than anything else. He was always so tender and caring towards her. Even the way he would look at her across a room, it was as if he were seeing her for the first time. The two of them loved traveling and going on cruises. They were the best of friends and not even death can remove their bond. 

Bob defined the word mensch. His integrity was his greatest asset along with loyalty. He was a beautiful soul and welcomed everyone with open arms. His sharp mind, wit and ability to make people laugh were so endearing. He never asked for much and loved his family with indescribable passion. Bob had a larger-than-life personality and loved unconditionally. He was the nucleus that provided so much happiness for his loved ones. It’s very difficult to imagine any family events without him being there physically. His spirit will always be with us and the lessons he taught his kids through being a living example, will always be with us. He was a wonderful father, husband and friend. The world lost a great man. His final gift to the world was that he was a registered organ and tissue donor. 

For those that knew Bob, he had several comforts that were important to him. He had an affinity for naps, Blue Bell ice cream, bagels, buffets, Whataburger, Texas BBQ and Tex-Mex. He loved to top his foods with onions and jalapenos. He was also quite famous for his delicious homemade salsa. Bob had a great love for animals which seemed to intensify with age. 

Bob is preceded in death by his loving parents Bill and Estelle, his two older brothers, Bill Jr. and Tony and his sister-in-law Cynthia Burch. He is survived by his sister Nancy Patterson and her husband Robert, his brothers-in-law, Robert Preddy and Brent Burch and sister-in-law Marilyn Novak, as well as his loving mother-in-law Joan Preddy.

Semper Fi, Dad - Your energy will always be with us. Thank you for everything. We love you and will think about you daily.