Robert Merlin Baltzer of Phoenix, Arizona, passed away peacefully on August 12, 2023 shortly after celebrating his 90th birthday.

Robert, known as “Bob” or “Bobby” to his friends and family, was born August 1, 1933 in Omaha, Nebraska as the fifth of seven children to Charles and Mary Baltzer. He was known as the class clown and town prankster in Omaha, and rumor has it, still on the lam for the 1943 burning of the large tree in Spring Lake Park.

Robert moved from Omaha, Nebraska to Phoenix, Arizona in the Summer of 1950. He then graduated from Glendale high school in 1952, after which he went to trade school for work as an electrician.

He was drafted to the Army in May of 1953, during the Korean War. He served overseas installing electrical and communications lines. He was known as the fastest climber of any electrical pole around, and would run contests to see who could climb faster than he. No one could.

After his honorable release from the US Army as Corporal in May of 1955, he went on to earn his Journeyman Electricians Certification. In November of 1956, he joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, where he remained until he retired in 1995.

In 1959 he met the love of his life, Martha Dixon, from St. Louis Missouri, who at the time was attending Grand Canyon College with the intentions of becoming a missionary. They were introduced at Central Heights Baptist Church by Robert’s sister-in-law Gerry. Robert found out Martha could make the best apple pies in Arizona, and immediately proposed. They were married on November 24th, 1959. They had six children: Renee, Tim, Linda, Kim, Randy, and Ben. They were also blessed to have 21 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. Their family became their missions field.

Robert was an avid outdoorsman who hiked, camped, and hunted. He was recorded with Arizona Game and Fish to have gotten one of the larger trophy black bears in Arizona, in September of 1976, without ever resorting to the aid of hunting dogs. His hunts fed his children well, and his wife was gracious enough to allow him to display his trophies in their homes.

Robert used his skill as an electrician and builder to help re-roof and maintain Central Heights Baptist Church, and also to build a home in which to raise his and Martha’s six children. He later built a cabin in Prescott, and a retirement home in Black Canyon City. He also used the skills he learned in the Army climbing electrical and communications poles for installing several elevator cable swings high up in pine trees for his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The swings were a legend to the local kids in Prescott, and also to the beloved middle school and high school students that he and Martha served so well at Valley of the Son Baptist Church for many years.

Although in the last years of his life Robert struggled with the difficulties of Alzheimer's and advanced dementia, he never lost his sense of humor. He was always armed with plenty of eye-roll inducing “dad jokes” that he claimed to have invented himself. He also never lost his ability to say “I love you” to his kids, grandkids, and kids-in-law, even when he could not say much else.


Through the weakening of his body and mind, his steadfast love of Jesus grew stronger still, and was his constant comfort. He said several times, he couldn’t wait to go to Heaven and see his Savior.

Robert was preceded in death by his beloved wife Martha, his daughter Renee, and his son Timothy.

Celebration of life will be held on September 15, 2023 at 12pm, at Foothills Baptist Church where he attended at the end of his life, light lunch following. The address is 15450 S 21ST ST, Phoenix AZ, 85048.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Lottie Moon Offering Fund.
https://www.imb.org/generosity/lottie-moon-christmas-offering/