Robert (Bob) Kegerize peacefully joined his heavenly family on April 28, 2018 with his wife, Carol, at his side in Hospice at Northeast Georgia Health Systems, Gainesville, GA. Bob was born on December 29, 1934 to Jennie Jensen Kegerize and Russell George Kegerize in London, Connecticut. Ten years later, brother, Russell George Kegerize was born in Toledo, Ohio where the brothers were raised and graduated from Woite High School.
Son-in law, David Wilcoxen (Lisa Halvorson Wilcoxen), says, “my step-father had a hat that said “AWESOME” on the front. He said that described God to him. It’s also how he viewed life.
To Bob, everything and everyone was awesome. He is survived by his wife, Carol (AKA Wendelken) Halvorson-Kegerize, and his step-children, Lisa Wilcoxen (Dave), Lori Bislin (Martin), and Lynne Halvorson (Julia) and his children with his ex-wife, (Merydith Brokow Kegerize), Julie (AKA Kegerize, Outwater) Davis of Warren, Arkansas and Lori (Kegerize) Gray of Florence, South Carolina; Grandchildren Jeremiah Outwater (Belinda Gabriel), Joshua Outwater (Tarisa Brueshaber), John Outwater, Tammie Outwater-Day, and Isaac Gray. He has also been blessed with four great-grandchildren.
Bob joined the Navy (during the Korean War) serving eight years. He described himself as an expeditor at work, favored being a fisherman at leisure, but in the early 70’s followed his calling and graduated from seminary in California, was ordained in the Church of the Four Squares and later the Assembly of God. His greatest love in life was to serve Jesus Christ and minister to all God’s people as a pastor, and along the way by opening a Christian book store and a thrift store.
After retiring a couple of times, he met and married Carol Halvorson-Kegerize in Cherokee Village, Arkansas where he served his last two small country churches, Powell’s Chapel in Evening Shade and Corinth in Ash Flat, AR for the United Methodist Church. During his time in Arkansas he and Carol opened Spring River Ministries where they assisted victims as well as abusers of domestic violence in learning that “you can’t give what you don’t have,” and “love isn’t love until you give it away”. Bob’s daughter, Lori Gray, explained that when her dad presided over a funeral, he offered the congregation to, “Invite Jesus into your heart and life so one day you can be reunited with your loved one”.
A memorial service will be held in St. Paul United Methodist Church (May 20 at 4:00 pm) on Washington Street, Gainesville, GA, and Cherokee Village United Methodist Church (May 29 at 4:00 pm), Cherokee Village, AR. In leu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to your local domestic violence shelter program or the church. Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so at littledavenport.com Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Ga.
30501 is in charge of arrangements.
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