Louis A. Bobka

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Louis A. Bobka

1931-2008

Louis A. Bobka, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville professor emeritus, 77, of Collinsville, formerly of Harrisburg, died Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, in St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville.

Services were 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008, in Riggin-Pillatsch Burke Funeral Home in Carterville with the Rev. Keith Bunfill officiating. Burial was in Hillcrest Cemetery in Carterville. Visitation was 9:30 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 23 at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Trails West Council for Boy Scouts in Wood River, Ill. 62095-1895, American Diabetes Association or Family Hospice in Belleville. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

Louis was born Aug. 4, 1931, in Harrisburg, the son of Louis and Katherine (Gresiak) Bobka.

He was a graduate of Harrisburg Township High School, where he lettered in football, basketball and track. He was co-captain of a conference championship football team and was named to the all-state team.

He attended SIU-C and started every game as a freshman on a football team made up of seasoned returning World War II veterans. He was captain of the 1951 football team.

After graduating from SIU-C, Louis joined the SIU staff as a consultant in the Community Development Department, the beginning of a 35-year career with SIU. He retired in 1993 as a member of the faculty in the SIU-E Department of Education.

He was a four-year Navy veteran of the Korean War.

He was a member of the executive board of the Trails West Council, Boy Scouts of America. He served the council in many capacities, but particularly in training of scout masters and junior leaders at Camp Sunnen in Potosi, Mo., and he was a member of the Order of the Arrow. He was awarded the Silver Beaver, the highest award given to volunteer scouters.

His favorite activity was boating and camping with his family and/or the Boy Scouts.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Joyce (Rushing) Bobka; his three children, Craig Bobka of Collinsville, Andrea Caswell (Ryan) of Collinsville and Derek Bobka (Theresa) of Belleville; two grandchildren, Amanda and Connor Bobka, both of Collinsville; two sisters, Mildred Herrmann of Marion and Ann Haegele (Jim) of St. Louis; brother-in-law, J. Tucker Rushing of Lafayette, La.; and six nephews.