Robert E. ‘Bob’ Musser

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(May 30, 1926 - Sept. 26, 2013)

Robert E. “Bob” Musser, 87, died at St. John’s Jensen Cottage in Billings on Sept. 26, 2013, after a long, courageous battle with Alzheimer’s.

Bob was born May 30, 1926, in Red Lodge, Mont., to Floyd and Marjorie Musser. He was the oldest of two children.

The Musser family lived on a ranch near Luther, Mont. It was there that the gospel came to the area and Bob accepted it into his heart and life. 

In 1947 he met Lillian Dutton and they were married that June in Cody. Soon thereafter they purchased a farm on Cooper Lane just outside of Cody, where they lived the next 20 years.

Bob went to auction school at the Western College of Auctioneering in 1956 and shortly thereafter he and Lillian started Musser Sales Company, a real estate and auction company.  

He eventually worked with all four of his sons and daughter in the real estate and auction business. His chant combined with his contagious wink earned him the moniker “Wink back and buy auctioneer.”

Bob worked as an instructor from 1957-82 at the auction college where he graduated. He was a terrific mentor and teacher to all those who knew him. Bob served as director to the National Auctioneers Association from 1978–81. In 1999, he was the recipient of the Wyoming Auctioneer’s Association Hall of Fame award and in 2001, he was inducted into the National Auctioneers Hall of Fame.

Bob will be missed by all those who were touched by his smile and wink. He was a special husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was particularly unselfish and had a soft spot for those who needed his help.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Lillian.

He is survived by his children Loveta (Bob) Acker of Cody and Mesa, Ariz., Harold Musser of Cody, Randy (Sandy) Musser of Twin Falls, Idaho, Merton (Sue) Musser of Billings and Scott (Teresa) Musser of Kennewick, Wash.; sister Alice Criswell of Central Point, Ore.; 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Ballard Funeral Home in Cody, with burial to follow at Riverside Cemetery. A luncheon will follow. Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, at Ballard. An online memorial is available at www.ballardfh.com.

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