MADISON – Bob Kasdorf, sixty-five, a longtime resident of Madison, Wisconsin, passed away on June 13, 2018, after a brief and valiant battle with cancer. Born Robert Taylor Kasdorf on October 25, 1952, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the second son of Earl and Beulah Kasdorf, Bob was a bright and rambunctious boy, whip smart—he had an amazing facility with numbers and words, with a quick wit and a dry sense of humor—who managed always to be among the top students in his class while never neglecting the pursuit of fun. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a BA in anthropology (college having been interrupted by a year traveling the country in an old car, in which he slept: it was the early 1970s), he earned a law degree from the UW Law School and joined what was then the small firm of Reynolds and Herrick, quickly rising to partner.
At the time of his death he was a partner in its successor firm Herrick and Kasdorf, LLC. But Bob was a partner in so many more ways than the professional one. Among his many talents, perhaps the most keen was his talent for friendship.
He met his life partner and future wife, Janet Weber—unsurprisingly his intellectual and social equal—professionally, but their relationship blossomed through a shared love of food. A gourmet cook, Janet was profiled in the Madison newspaper at that time; in that article, she referred to Bob as “Mr. Restaurant”. Married in 1987, they also shared a love of movies (old and new, mainstream and offbeat), music (likewise, all kinds), and most of all their daughter Claire.
Bob was also an avid sports fan and card player; unusually disciplined, he went to Las Vegas yearly with a group of buddies and unlike most was able to win his trip costs some of the time and never lose more than he set out to risk. His life was a model of a well-rounded one, successful professionally, possessor of an untold number of friendships, and pervaded by his talent for enjoyment. Bob is survived by his wife, Janet Weber, and daughter, Claire Taylor Weber; his brother Bill Kasdorf, formerly of Madison and now of Ann Arbor, Michigan, his sister-in-law Cheryl Eaton Kasdorf; his nieces Katherine Kasdorf and Elisabeth Kasdorf-Torney and her husband Brian Torney; his sister- and brother-in-law Patricia and David Schoenfeld; his nephew Andrew Schoenfeld, M.D., wife Erin, and grandniece and nephews Alyssa, Roman, and Leo; friends Steve and Terry Roe Lund, Michael and Gina Florek, Brian and Susie Lochen, Joy Gander, Clark Thompson, and Bill and Chris Kilgour; the law offices of Herrick and Kasdorf, especially Attorneys David Sparer and Bob’s partner of forty years Scott Herrick; the outstanding nursing staff at St Mary’s Hospital and the staff at Dean Oncology; and lastly the volunteers from No One Dies Alone.
All who knew him will be devastated at his sudden passing but grateful to have known him and to have enjoyed his company over the years. In lieu of flowers, Bob asked for donations to Amnesty International; in addition, his family asks for donations to the No One Dies Alone program at St. Mary’s. There will be a celebration of Bob’s life from 3:00-5:00 pm on Saturday, June 23, at Sardine restaurant, 617 Williamson St. in Madison, Wisconsin.
Guests should note that parking and the entrance to the restaurant are on the lake side of the building, not on Williamson. To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www. ryanfuneralservice.com.
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