Obituary – Robert W. Walizer II

Robert W. Walizer II, age 54, of Montoursville, PA, was very unexpectedly and suddenly called home to heaven on November 26, 2023. He was with a group of friends who had just finished playing pickleball when he suffered a massive cardiac event. His family is forever grateful to the individuals who quickly jumped into action as they attempted to save his life.

Born in Williamsport on January 31, 1969, he was the only child to the most loving parents, the late Robert W. Walizer I and Linda R. (Hyzer) Walizer of Muncy, PA, formerly of Renovo, PA.

At the encouragement and guidance of his father, Bob began his working career at age 14. His first job was at the North Bend Cemetery, where he did lawn work and dug graves. While still in high school, Bob moved into the grocery industry, working for Weis Markets in Renovo, PA, under a wonderful mentor and good friend. After graduating from Bucktail Area High School in 1987, Bob continued his education at Williamsport Area Community College, earning an associate degree in business management in 1989. He eventually became the youngest store manager in the history of Weis Markets, barely in his early 20s.

What you are about to read is the love story of a man specifically designed by God to love a woman specifically designed to be his love of a lifetime.

It was at WACC that Bob met a beautiful, petite brunette girl who would captivate his heart for the rest of his life. Teri was a Wellsboro girl who was born with a rare bone disease called spondylo-epiphyseal dysplasia, which is a very crippling and severely debilitating condition that affects every single joint in the body, including the spine.

Even though Teri’s body was obviously affected by the disease, and she walked with a single crutch that allowed her to be mobile, Bob only saw her beauty. He later confessed that her beauty created “blinders that kept him from seeing anything else.” Their favorite date night has always been seeing the latest and greatest movie at the theater. Bob had an uncanny memory of every movie they saw together and the theater’s location, and he would often quiz Teri about when and where they saw the movie.

After college, they moved to McElhatten. Teri began working for the Allenwood Federal Prison while Bob continued managing at the Weis Market in Renovo. A year later, Bob started his career at the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary, aka “The Big House,” as a budget assistant. Not long after being hired, Bob transferred to the Allenwood Federal Prison (Low Security) commissary and was later promoted to cook supervisor in food service. Although he had minimal experience in mass food preparation, he was exactly what the Food Administrator was looking for – someone who was teachable.

For 25 years, Bob worked at the prison, serving the inmates and leading inmate work crews. He built good relationships with them. One day, when an inmate viciously attacked Bob, the inmates on his crew helped diffuse the situation as Bob tackled the perpetrator until staff arrived. While Bob sustained significant cornea damage during the incident, he eventually healed on the outside, but the experience was forever burned in his memory.

In 2018, Bob retired from the prison. Little did Bob and Teri know just how important that decision would be. It’s a well-known statistic that the stress of working as a law enforcement officer contributes to the early mortality rate among this group. Sadly, one of Bob’s most significant fears of becoming one of those statistics came true on Sunday. Post retirement, Bob worked for Ribbit Digital Design alongside Teri where he was constantly pushed outside his comfort zone performing digital marketing tasks for the amazing boss and friend, Robin deMackiewicz. This job proved to be life changing.

While work was important to Bob, Teri was always his first and greatest love. They married on September 18, 1993, at Leonard Harrison State Park in the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.

Over the next 30 years, Teri required over thirty surgeries, including multiple total joint replacements, four knees, five hips, two elbows, two shoulders, several spine surgeries – and on top of everything else – a battle with kidney cancer. Bob and Teri were looking forward to celebrating her 20th anniversary of being cancer-free next month.

Through it all, Bob remained captivated by her and never faltered in meeting her needs and providing her primary care. Their love story was epic, and everyone who knew them instantly knew their love for one another.
Bob also loved Jesus. His deep faith equipped him with the strength he needed to love Teri just as “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Ephesians 5:25. Bob and Teri worshiped at Faith Wesleyan Church in Williamsport, where they constantly testified to God’s faithfulness.

While they will always be known for their love story, there actually was another “woman” in Bob’s life – she was a beautiful 1969 Chevy Camaro SS that joined their family in May of 1994. They didn’t have a lot of money when they made that fateful trip to Jonestown, PA Memorial Day weekend in ’94, but the seller had recently lost his job, and he was in desperate need of cash. He ended up selling it for half the asking price – and then asked if Bob would please wait until he had disappeared into the woods behind his house before driving her away. It took all the money they had, but the Camaro became Bob’s pride and joy. He did his best to have her restored close to original, including the fathom green color. He pampered the “other woman” almost as much as he did Teri.

Bob’s other loves included their fur-baby and protector, Quincy, gas-powered remote-control cars, pheasant hunting, and deer hunting with archery, rifle, and flintlock. He shared his love of hunting with his father, and when his dad passed away, Bob continued hunting as a way of remembering the precious times they spent in the woods. Bob also dabbled in smoking meat and cheese, eventually becoming an expert brisket smoker and earning the nickname Bobby Brisket.  He loved tinkering on garden tractors (especially his old Cubs), was highly skilled at knife sharpening, and one of his most favorite hobbies was a super competitive game of ping pong with his 80s music blaring in the background.

Bob was a kind and caring neighbor who found great joy in helping with snow plowing and anything else one neighbor could do for another. He especially loved cutting the grass and perfecting his gorgeous striped lines.
Bob was deeply sentimental. He was gentle, kind, and sensitive. He was truly designed by God to be Teri’s love of a lifetime.

He is survived by his wife, his mother, father-in-law, and mother-in-law, Ed and Janet Buck of Montoursville, formerly of Wellsboro; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Tammy and Matt Berkheimer of Liberty; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins. He always held Ron and Karen Ives near and dear to his heart since they played a significant role in the budding romance between Bob and Teri.

A memorial service to celebrate Bob’s life will be held Monday, December 4, at noon at Faith Wesleyan Church, 1033 Tucker Street, Williamsport, PA. A time of visitation will be held from 11 AM until the start of the service. Bob’s pastor, Rev. Tim Hartzell, will officiate.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Bob’s name to support the missionary work of Rebecca “Bec” Gibbons who serves as a regional discipleship trainer with Youth With A Mission in an unreached area of Thailand. She also serves as Faith Wesleyan Church’s online pastor. Please make checks payable to “Faith Wesleyan Church” and write “Bob Walizer/Bec Gibbons” on the memo line. Checks can be mailed to Faith Wesleyan Church, 1033 Tucker Street, Williamsport, PA, 17701.

Arrangements entrusted to Gedon Funeral Home, Lock Haven, PA.

Online condolences may be made on Bob’s memorial page at Gedonfuneralhomes.com.