Bob Mueller is one of the museum’s longest serving volunteers. He has been here since 1995 before the museum was even open! He began volunteering upon retirement from Hamilton’s and helped move, unpack and setup the museum at its original site in the factory complex on Jefferson Street. If you’re wondering about those early days and what it was like to help create a museum from scratch, he’s your guy!
Bob is Wisconsin born and bred. He grew up in Fort Atkinson and Appleton, attended Marquette University, attended the seminary, and married soon thereafter. He joined the Navy in the late 1950’s and taught at the Naval Amphibious Base in San Diego. In 1963, when his military service was complete, a job in lab equipment sales was waiting for him at Hamilton’s. He eventually moved into project management and ended his career at Hamilton’s with a total of 34 years which includes a 2 year return to the job from 2003-2005.
In Two Rivers, Bob and his first wife, Jean, raised five kids who are now spread out in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Utah. When she passed after 25 years of marriage, Bob married his current wife, Glenness. In his spare time, Bob spends time with the grandkids and great-grandkids, reads, golfs on occasion, and volunteers here at the museum.
Thursday is Bob’s day at the Wood Type Museum and he is here almost without fail. He has stated he thoroughly enjoys coming into the museum where he has fun working on various printing projects (his forte is printing snazzy bags for the retail shop!), giving tours, and meeting people from all over the country and world. If Bob’s on duty the next time you’re in, don’t forget to say hello and thank him for all his help. We certainly appreciate it!