Birth date: Oct 18, 1951 Death date: Dec 20, 2023
Carroll Robert “Bob” Webb passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, December 20, in Decatur, IL. The family will receive friends for visitation between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on December 29 at Graceland-Fairlawn Cemetery, 2091 N. O Read Obituary
I’ve only known Bob in the last 5 or 6 years from Caterpillar, but he was one of the first people I met on my first day, and he made a lasting impression. He was always good for a quick laugh, or an off-topic conversation about farming, and was a great person to have around as a friend and mentor. He’ll be sorely missed - my deepest condolences to his family and friends.
Please accept my sincere condolences for your loss! It was my privilege and honor to know Bob throughout my career at Caterpillar. He was always willing to help and share his knowledge of welding, leadership and Caterpillar. Words cannot express my gratitude for knowing Bob. He always told me what I needed to hear even when it wasn't what I wanted to hear. I sought his counsel and am proud to call him my friend! May God grant each of you the strength during this difficult time and allow you to remember he was an inspiration to all he met. His legacy lives in each of you and he will always be there in your time of need. May God bless every member of his family for sharing Bob with me and my family!
I knew Bob when he was the Weld Manufacturing Manager in Decatur, and caught up with him later, when he was the Cat Paving Product Manager. Most of my exposure to Bob occurred when he and I completed a Masters Degree in Technology program offered by Eastern Illinois during the early 90s. I was struck and impressed by his depth of manufacturing expertise and the level of professionalism he brought to our coursework. I will remember Bob for his witty, charismatic and direct leadership style, as well as his commitment to Caterpillar Quality. I admired and respected him. I hope Bob's family can find comfort in knowing he was a great leader and he will be missed by many.
One of many memories of Bob was his ability to share his knowledge, experience and passion about the importance of quality, especially that of the Catetpillar brand. He was a great mentor, colleague, but most important a friend. Attached is a picture of what he termed the Dream Team at Paving displaying several Product Quality awards; pictured left to right are: Becky Downing, Bob Webb, Mike Netka, Jim McReynolds, and Mike Netka. Rest in peace my friend!
Becky Downing
I have known Bob for less than 10 years, but the last 5 he was really a mentor for me. He had endless stories from over 40 years of traveling the world and working in different roles that he shared with us all. He really showed me how to interact without emotion in high pressure situations, “tell the truth and stick to the facts”, was the motto I heard nearly every day during our catchup sessions. He leaves a large legacy that anyone would be proud off and he will be dearly missed.
