Robert Wayne Prohaska Sr., the father of a Chesterton resident, died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at his home. A resident of Portage, he was 74.

He was born June 16, 1929, in Clinton, Ind., the son of Jesse Alonzo and Dorothea Ethel (Alkire) Prohaska, who preceded him in death.

On Oct. 31, 1953, in Clinton, he married Lula Daves, who survives in Portage.

He is also survived by two sons, Robert (wife Reneé) Prohaska Jr. of Salem, Ohio, and William (wife Melody) Prohaska of Valparaiso; four daughters, Debra (husband Donald) Wilson of Chesterton, Marsha (husband Darryl) Galasso of Valparaiso, Cindy (husband Scott) Hughes of Portage, and Susan (husband Jim) Parnell of Biloxi, Miss.; two sisters, Dorothy Shannon of Clinton and Carol (husband Gayel) Cooley of Sullivan, Ind.; 16 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a best buddy, Chucky of Portage.

He was preceded in death by six brothers, Verne Bennett, Tom Bennett, Ernest Prohaska, Frank Prohaska, Max Prohaska, and James Bennett.

Prohaska was an area resident since 1957, when he moved from Clinton. He was a structural painter at American Bridge, where he retired in 1986 after 29 years of service. In 1983 he received his G.E.D. from Portage High School. He was a member of the Porter Central Horseshoe League, frequently sponsored at horseshoe events by the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, and on Sept. 27, 1997, was inducted into the Horseshoe Hall of Fame.

Funeral services, the Rev. O’Neil Stover officiating, is scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Edmonds & Edmonds Funeral Home, 517 Broadway in Chesterton. He will be interred at Chesterton Cemetery.

Visitation was held from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Edmonds & Evans.

Posted 12/1/2003