Robert Ibold Jr.

Robert Arthur Ibold, Jr., 87, of Lancaster, died on Saturday, March 22. > Born in Cincinnati in 1937, Bob and his three siblings were raised in St. Petersburg, Florida by a military father and stay-at-home mother, who was a trailblazing advocate for children with disabilities. Bob’s younger sister was born with Down’s syndrome.

Florida’s untamed natural environment—not the beaches but the flora and the dangerous fauna—captured Bob’s imagination and became his childhood playground. In 1958, Bob returned to Cincinnati to attend the University of Cincinnati, which was his mother’s alma mater. The “rye bread town” held fond memories for Bob because of the many summers he spent visiting his beloved grandfather, a funeral home director. While working toward a graduate degree in art, Bob met his soon-to-be-wife, Regine. She and her German parents lived on the first floor of a small apartment building that they owned. Bob got to know Regine when he and a few UC of his friends rented the upstairs apartment. The newlywed couple moved to Lancaster in 1968 to start a family and build a life together. Bob hit the ground running in Lancaster’s burgeoning advertising industry. Over the next four decades, he established himself as an “ad-man,” including with his own agency, Bob Ibold Advertising. While he wore a suit to work and played the ad-exec role, Bob remained committed to his artistic creativity.

He honed skills in portrait photography, sculpture, drawing, painting, and mask collecting. He was drawn to Lancaster’s community of artists and creatives, many of whom became lifelong friends and mentors. Bob showed his drawings and masks at gallery shows in Lancaster, and he self-published a book on masks, which he titled Masks of the World. Even in bicycling, Bob found an outlet for his creativity: he collected unique bicycles, one of which he repainted and hung from his living room ceiling; he fashioned old bike parts into art projects; and he carved out opportunities to support recreational riding and competitive racing in Lancaster.

Lancaster’s trees brought out the activist in Bob. For many years, he served on the city’s Shade Tree Commission, which teamed him up with arborists and other city officials who are tasked with protecting and enhancing the urban canopy. The Lancaster Avenue house he and Regine picked to raise their three boys in, where the couple would reside for more than 50 years first caught Bob’s attention because of the trees lining the block. Bob’s love for downtown Lancaster and the surrounding farmland ran deep. He relished giving tours to visiting friends and family, especially to his grandchildren, who always got the animal and ice cream-themed tour. It's probably fair to say that it all came together for Bob around the dinner table. Sitting with Regine, friends, family, and various bully breed rescue dogs—and bolstered by Regine’s impassioned cooking, wine, cigars, candlelight, strong espresso—Bob was in his element.

Bob is survived by his three children: Mark Ibold, spouse to Victoria; Jay Ibold, spouse to Amrita; and Hans Ibold, spouse to Amy. Bob was proud to be a grandfather to: William Ibold, Sam Ibold, Willa Ibold, and Ida Ibold.

Friends and relatives are invited to a celebration of all things Bob at his shade tree-protected house in June. Details will be shared soon.