Bob was born into a large Irish Catholic family in East Saint Louis on May 18, 1934. One of eight children, he grew up loving sports, playing on the Central Catholic High School Basketball and Football teams, and earning Illinois All-State Honorable Mention as a football tight end. He furthered his education at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama where he participated in ROTC, was class President, and graduated with a degree in business in 1956. He went on to serve as Lieutenant for two years in the U. S. Army.
Bob married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Patricia (Pat) Coyne at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish. They were the first couple to be wed there and were blessed with a marriage that lasted 64 years. They settled near the parish and built their home in 1965, where they lived until their deaths. Bob had a long and successful 31-year career with IBM. He earned IBM’s annual sales award, the One-Hundred Percent Club, 25 times and their highest worldwide sales award, The Golden Circle, four times. After his IBM career, Bob went into pharmaceutical sales until his full retirement.
Bob’s first love was always his family: his wife, Pat; his three children; his five grandsons; and his many siblings. He also loved playing golf with his Belleville friends for over four decades, as well as on many of the top golf courses across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Bob had the rare experience of making five hole-in-one’s in his golfing life at four different holes at St. Clair Country Club, capped off by making a hole-in-one on the same hole at the same time with his grandson in South Carolina.
Bob was a longtime volunteer as a Sunday Mass reader at Our Lady Queen of Peace, and as a weekly volunteer for over a decade at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows reading the news on the radio for the blind. He also was a past President of the St. Clair Country Club Board and the St. Louis District Golf Association Presidents Club.
Bob was a romantic and loved listening to music. He had a great sense of humor and perspective on life. He loved to entertain with laughter and reminiscing stories of the past, offering his many philosophical sayings with just the right amount of humor mixed in. It is a fitting blessing that his last humorous wish, “The only way I want to leave this house is feet first” was granted to him when he left his earthly existence from his home of fifty-eight years surrounded by his family and his faith in God and heaven.
Robert was preceded in death by his loving wife of 64 years, Patricia A., nee Coyne, Halpin, whom he married on June 1, 1957; his parents; George and Claire, nee Bolte, Halpin; his six siblings, Margaret Halpin, Mary Claire Basten (Jack), George Halpin (Arlene), Jeanne Canavan (Cletus), Michael Halpin, and Kathryn Uihlein; and five nieces and nephews, John Basten, Carol Canavan, Michael Halpin, Jr., Patricia Halpin, and Mark Halpin.
Surviving Robert is his son, Robert F. Halpin, Jr. (Bethany); two daughters, Jill Halpin (Scott Addison), and Amy Halpin (Daniel Haag); five grandchildren, Robert F. Halpin, III (Caitlin), Daniel Halpin (Meghan), Michael Halpin, Aaron and Tobey Haag; one brother, John Halpin; two sisters-in-law, Marabeth (James) Coyne and Mary Ann Halpin; and 20 nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville, IL, or to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Belleville, IL. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com.
Visitation: Friends may visit from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, August 4, 2023, at George Renner & Sons Funeral Home Belleville, IL.
Funeral: A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, August 5, 2023, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Belleville, IL, with Very Rev. Godfrey Mullen, OSB officiating.
Burial will be at Mount Carmel Cemetery, Belleville, IL.