Robert Michael Kudelko
29 Mar 1945 to 14 Feb 2026
Bob grew up in Glenview, Illinois, where he first developed the easy charm and gift for conversation that would define his life. After graduating from Creighton University in 1967, he left not only with a business degree, but with something far more important — having met Jean, the woman who would become his wife in 1968 and his partner in every sense of the word.
Together they built a life centered on family and honest work. Bob was a proud father to Christine (Sam) Miceli, Robert (Stephanie), and Catherine, and nothing lit up his face more than his grandsons, Kyle and Nate Miceli. Being “Grandpa” was a role he treasured.
Bob built his career in the food industry, beginning at General Foods and continuing with Libby Foods and Seneca Foods before taking a leap of faith and starting RMK Food Brokerage in 1987 after moving to Leawood, Kansas. In 1991 he would take another leap when he co-founded Gun-Ko Traffic Control, where he served as co-owner and CEO until his stroke in 2002. Through every chapter, he relied on his greatest strengths — his determination, his warmth, and his ability to connect with anyone he met. Bob truly never met a stranger.
Some of Bob’s happiest memories were made at Table Rock Lake. There, you could find him boating, casting a fishing line, or sitting on the dock with neighbors, drink in hand, telling stories that somehow grew better each time they were told. He enjoyed golf and poker, and later, after moving to Santa Marta in 2022, he embraced afternoons of bocce, spirited card games, and the cherished 4 o’clock happy hour. Community was important to Bob, and he created it wherever he went.
He was a lifelong sports fan — loyal to the Chicago Bears and Creighton Bluejays, and proudly cheering for the Chiefs in his Kansas years.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Michael and Carolyn Kudelko. He is survived by his sister, Barbara Sylvester, and by a family who will carry forward his humor, resilience, and deep love for togetherness.
Memorial services will be held on Friday February 27th, 2026, with a visitation at 10:00 am and funeral at 11:00 am at The Church of the Nativity, located at 3800 West 119th Street, Leawood KS 66209.
The family kindly requests no flowers. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas or to the Santa Marta Endowment Fund. Santa Marta, Attn: Marlene Abbey, 13800 W. 116th Street, Olathe KS 66062. Please write In Memory of Bob Kudelko in the memo line.
Bob, the silent man, was easy to be around. Life dealt him a difficulty that most of us could not handle; he handled it with a warm smile and a mountain of patience. He will be missed at his home, Santa Marta.