Robert Hugh Winbigler Obituary
Robert Hugh “Bob” Winbigler, 81, of Butler, passed away Thursday, September 3, 2026, from a tractor accident on his farm. He was born September 20, 1944, in Shelby, Ohio, to the late Merritt and Lela Beatrice (Tucker) Winbigler.

Bob ended up with Diane Stoodt’s shoe (you’ll have to ask her the whole story), and together they shared nearly 61 years of marriage, family, laughter, and a life built on hard work and love.

A graduate of Shelby High School, Bob earned an associate degree in electrical engineering from North Central Technical College. He began his career at Therm-O-Disc, later Emerson, before building Butler Wood Products from the family farm more than 40 years ago.

Bob was too humble to call himself a master carpenter, woodworker, and problem-solver. But he was. He designed and built his own steamers and kilns, becoming widely respected for walnut steaming and custom kiln drying. His work brought woodworkers and companies from across the United States and Canada to Butler, Ohio—not through advertising, but by word of mouth and the quality of his work. Bob taught freely, trusted hard work, and saw no reason to keep a good idea to himself.

His craftsmanship remains throughout the homes and lives of those he loved: cabinets, vanities, trim, floors, ceilings, furniture, and countless pieces made from trees. Bob restored their 1800s farmhouse and could build, repair, or improve nearly anything. It was never a question of if something could be done, only how hard he would have to work to do it. He worked until the day he died; the only lie he ever told Diane, she said, was that he would retire at 70.

The farm was the heart of Bob’s life. Raised on a chicken farm (and only recently started eating “yard birds” again), he loved animals and cared for cattle, horses, pigs, chickens, goats, donkeys, and dogs over the years. Special dogs he still missed were Lola and Huckleberry. Alongside Diane and their family, he planted more than tens of thousands of trees by hand over a decade, helping transform former pasture into forest. He served 16 years as an elected Worthington Township supervisor with the Richland Soil & Water Conservation District and was involved with the Ohio Forestry Association and Butler Lions Club.

Bob was kind, genuine, loving, humble, dependable, and truly salt of the earth. He measured his words, listened closely, and never sought attention for himself. He never had a cross word for those he loved. Bob did not invest in the usual sense; he invested in his family, in people, and in his community. When something needed done, when someone needed help, and when his family needed him, Bob was there. To his sons, he was their hero.

He loved tractors, the first day of deer season, early coffee, the woods, his dogs, and the open road. For more than 30 years, Bob and his sons made motorcycle trips through 17 states and Canada, traveling tens of thousands of miles together. He owned as many as five motorcycles at a time and rode his Road King “like it was stolen.” Their rides were about the journey, the stories, and being together—even if that meant a three-and-a-half-hour ride to West Virginia for a hot dog. The whole family’s time together in the gazebo just last week is a memory they will cherish and feels like nothing short of a miracle.

Bob is survived by his beloved wife, Diane (Stoodt) Winbigler of Butler; his two sons, Chief Eric Winbigler of Butler and Deputy Jeff & Melissa Winbigler of Butler; grandchildren, Nikki & Tylor Stephens of Lancaster, OH, Juliet Winbigler of Port Wentworth, GA, Kayla Winbigler of Atlanta, GA, Tessa Winbigler of Atlanta, GA, Audrey & Sgt. Reuben Browning (deployed) of Ft. Hood, TX, and Annissa Mason of Butler; and three precious great-grandsons, Oliver Stephens, Carter Stephens, and Roman Browning; brother, Paul & sister-in-law Connie Winbigler of Coldwater, Michigan.

Bob will be cremated, and his ashes will be scattered on the family farm he loved so well.

A Celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, October 10th, 2026 at 1 pm in the Butler Event Center, 111 Elm St. Butler, Ohio 44822.

The family would like to invite anyone who knew Bob to attend and share some fellowship in his honor. If you have photos or stories about Bob, you are encouraged to contact either of his sons so that they may be included in his tribute video.

Eric Winbigler

winbigler.eric@gmail.com

Jeff Winbigler

jdwinbigler36@gmail.com

Instead of sending flowers in Bob’s memory, the family invites you to, please, spend time with the people you love and plant a tree. Perhaps Bob’s biggest life lesson was this: live your life with honesty, do everything with integrity, and remember to care for what’s entrusted to you with diligent stewardship.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Robert Hugh Winbigler, please visit our Tree Store.

Funeral Home: Snyder Funeral Homes

Website: https://www.snyderfuneralhomes.com