MADISON – Robert “Bob” LaForest Cleveland, age 86, entered his heavenly home on March 14, 2021 at his home in DeForest, WI, after living many years with the effects of Parkinson’s Disease. He was born on October 10, 1934 in Somers, IA to parents, Glenn and Beulah (Sherman) Cleveland and baptized as a child of God November 24, 1935.

Bob graduated in 1952 from high school in Northwood, IA. After one year at Iowa State College in Ames, he entered the U.S. Army, serving from 1952 until 1955 in Japan, working as a cartographic draftsman. Following his discharge, he attended Iowa State Teachers College at Cedar Falls, graduating in 1958. In February of that same year, he was married to Marilyn Tuttle at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, MN and their union was blessed with three children. Robert taught high school math for two years at New Hartford, IA. He then moved his family to Madison, WI in the Fall of 1960, where he taught twelve years at Sherman Junior High School, followed by eighteen years at Madison East High School; teaching mathematics and serving as athletic director for over seven years, in addition to years of coaching football and basketball. During his teaching career, he was awarded and attended four National Science Foundation Institutes; from Carlton College in Minnesota, Rutgers University in New Jersey, Luther College in Iowa, and the UW in Madison.

Robert had been a member of Bethel Lutheran Church since 1960. He was a dutiful husband and father, wonderful gardener, excellent math teacher, avid sportsman, patient fisherman schooled by his parents, and a lover of Springer Spaniels, in particular “Dutchess” and “Boots”. The family’s trips to Lake Kabetogama in northern Minnesota were always an excitement for him. He loved fishing. In his retirement years, he developed a keen interest in genealogy and had researched, fully, his family ancestry. He will be loved by his family always. We are blessed with the assurance that we will one day be together again.

Robert is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marilyn; son, Richard (Tami) of Stoughton; daughter, Kim (Darryl) Franklin of Indianapolis; son-in-law, Dan Roeske of Neumanstown, PA; grandchildren, Tyler, Ben, Jericho, Nia, Jordan, Scott, Kristine, Danielle; and several great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Vicki Ordalen; brother-in-law, Larry Wettlaufer; cousins, John, Mary Pat, Jack, and Raymond Sherman and families. He is further survived by extended family.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Richard; daughter, Kerry (February 2020); niece, Andrea Marilyn; cousin, Jerry Moeller.

The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the staff of Agrace Hospice, Senior Helpers, a very special person, Natalie, and to Ryan Funeral Home for their kind and compassionate care.

Memorials may be made to the Food Pantry at Bethel Lutheran or to Agrace HospiceCare.

Due to the complications of Covid-19, a private funeral service will be held, with burial at Norway Grove Cemetery. A livestream of the service will be available at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, March 25, 2021. To view livestream information and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services

Windsor/DeForest Chapel

6924 Lake Road

608-846-4250

Robert Cleveland

October 10, 1934 - March 14, 2021

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