Reading, an Eagle Scout originally from Morton, Illinois, graduated from Spoon River College in 1967 Bob with an Associate of Arts in Biology. He credits SRC speech instructor Daisy Coty with transforming his life, saying she “used solution-focus tools to help turn my serious speech stuttering into coherent speech to-day.” Inspired by her impact, Bob has generously supported SRC students through scholarships and endowments.
With the perseverance he learned from Daisy, Bob went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Illinois State University. He then built a successful career—first in pharmaceuticals and later as a retail housewares manager at K’s Merchandise. His passion for helping others led him back to school, and in 1993 he earned a Master of Arts in Community Counseling from Bradley University. He went on to achieve National Board Certified Counselor and Certified AODA Counselor status in 1994, followed by Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in 2000.
Bob spent 14 years at White Oaks Treatment Residential Center for Men in Peoria, helping men overcome addiction and maintain recovery. During his first retirement, he stayed active as a high school wrestling assistant coach, substitute teacher for grades K–12 in Peoria schools, and volunteer at a church soup kitchen.
In 2007, Bob returned to his beloved counseling work, joining Dr. George Gilbert at Samaritan Family Medical Services, where he supported more than 200 addiction patients dealing with mental health challenges. He fully retired in September 2017.
Bob and his wife, Marianne, who retired from Caterpillar Inc., have been happily married for 52 years. A Master Gardener since 2012, Bob leads gardening projects at Holy Family Catholic Church in partnership with the U of I Extension. He also enjoys bicycling with friends from Landmark Health Club and, until recently, volunteered in the Cursillo spiritual program at prisons in Canton and Kewanee.
