How is a local organization working to honor Ripon tavern owner Bob Hilke? – Ripon Commonwealth Press

Bob and Caryl Hilke celebrate adding outdoor dining to Pastimes Pub & Grille.

In October, the Ripon and Green Lake area lost more than just a business owner when Pastimes Pub & Grille owner Bob Hilke passed away at the age of 68.

It lost a husband, a father, a grandfather, a son and a friend.

For many, Green Lake Area Tavern League President and Tall Pauls owner Paul Salzwedel said Hilkes death was like losing a part of your family.

Hes greatly missed, Salzwedel said.

Hilke worked at Oshkosh Corp. for 28 years, and married his wife and Pastimes co-owner Caryl in 1995.

A year later, the couple opened the Boondocks, a tavern located roughly four miles north of Mayville at the intersection of County Road V and Farmersville Road.

It's initial business venture largely served customers from Mayville, Lomira and Brownsville, the Commonwealth reported in 1996.

When the tavern launched, Caryl worked full-time at the Boondocks, while Hilke put in about five to six hours a day on top of running the control lab at what was then called "Oshkosh Truck."

Six years after opening the Boondocks, the Hilkes sold the tavern and moved back to Ripon, purchasing Pastimes in February 2002.

Shortly after purchasing Pastimes, the couple told the Commonwealth that it was enjoying its return to Ripon, finding the business to be much more brisk in its hometown than it had been in Farmersville.

In the years since, the Hilkes oversaw multiple cosmetic changes to the building, replacing windows, installing carpeting, replacing tables and chairs, reconstructing the outside wall and incorporating outdoor dining.

Aside from helping operate a staple in Ripons bar and restaurant scene, Hilke also was a longtime member of the Green Lake Area Tavern League, serving as the organizations treasurer for many years.

As treasurer, Salzwedel noted Hilke was responsible for monitoring the tavern leagues bills, noting Hilke also served on the leagues board of directors.

He was very active with the tavern league, helping with all of the different fund-raisers that we do, Salzwedel said. He and Caryl helped us with a lot of fund-raisers over the years, fund-raising for different charities throughout the area.

He explained that many of those fund-raising events helped donate to local food pantries.

Beyond helping with fund-raisers, Hilke and Salzwedel attended multiple tavern league conventions together and built a strong friendship.

Hilke eventually stepped down as treasurer, but he and Salzwedel still talked on the phone regularly.

Salzwedel explained that Hilke spent a great deal of time up north in his final months and Caryl managed the day-to-day operation of Pastimes and remained active in the Green Lake Area Tavern League in Bob's place.

When Hilke died in October, Salzwedel said it sent a shockwave through the local tavern league chapter.

Anytime you lose a friend and a fellow tavern keep, it's like you're losing part of the family, he said. Thats what everybody felt because he was such a long-time member.

To honor Hilkes legacy, the Green Lake Area Tavern League is making donations to multiple food pantries in the area.

The organization is donating $500 to the Ripon Community Food Pantry, $200 to the Brandon Food Pantry, $200 to the Markesan Food Pantry and $600 to the Green Lake County Food Pantry, which serves Green Lake, Princeton and Berlin.

Presenting a certificate to Pastimes owners Bob and Caryl Hilke, second and third from left, are members of Ripons Underage Drinking Initiative, from left, Gary Will, Danelle Phillips, Rev. Paul Nulton, and Ripon High School student Kali Kinziger.

Salzwedel noted the tavern league discussed ways to honor Hilke at its monthly meeting in December and decided that donating to food pantries would be fitting, especially with the increased need spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We just thought that he was such a part of the community and with this COVID the people hurting the worst could really use that help, Salzwedel said. We thought that he'd like to take care of the community and help some of the people that are really struggling.

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How is a local organization working to honor Ripon tavern owner Bob Hilke? - Ripon Commonwealth Press