Published: June 22, 2008 12:00 am         

Former retailer enjoys life in Goshen

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Goshen native Bob Burt has been a fixture in the downtown business district as he worked his entire career in his family’s business, Noble Shoes, before selling it in 1985.

Bob still owns downtown property, the building at Main and Washington streets, where The Nut Shoppe recently moved around the corner next to Ten Thousand Villages — both in newly-renovated quarters.

His late father, Russell, worked at Noble Shoes beginning in 1918, working in the business his whole life. He even went to work with Bob until shortly before his death in 1988. Russell was always seen wearing a hat and tie, even when pictured on his riding lawn mower in The News in the summer of 1984.

“Frank Noble had Noble Shoes at 132 S. Main back then,” Bob explained.

After beginning there in 1918, Russell bought the business from Noble’s estate and in 1938 moved his store across the street to 110 S. Main. (That building is now the site of Leatherman and Miller law office.)

Like most men Bob’s age, he went to work as a youngster.

“I sold my first pair of shoes when I was 14,” he said, and went on to say he could tell you the style and who the customer was.

Bob went to Indiana University from 1950-54, was a member of the ROTC and after graduation served two years in the U.S. Army.

“I should have stayed in,” he said, because he could have retired from the military in his mid-40s and drawn a pension.

But Russell “wanted me to come to work for him,” and his father’s wishes won out.

“We had a busy store. The business was flourishing,” Bob said. And Russell remembered The Great Depression and pushed Bob to work hard in the family business.

Bob was born 76 years ago at the Goshen Hospital on Fifth Street to Russell and Lucile. He was an only child, a fact that gives him mixed feelings, he explained.

He did not have a sibling to “fight with” but also had no one to share responsibilities later when he cared for his parents. He grew up living in a house at 413 E. Purl St.

Russell built a red brick ranch home on South Main Street, overlooking the dam pond, in 1952. Bob has planted most of the variety of trees and shrubs at the house, first for his parents and then after he and his wife, Marty, moved there, they worked with landscaping, flowers and now vegetable gardens.

Bob and Marty were married in 1987 and lived initially at Lake Wawasee. They remodeled and expanded the home on South Main Street with a plan to live there with Russell, but he passed away in 1988 before construction was complete.

The remodeling included changing the dining room to Bob’s office and the 32-foot living room gave up some space for the new dining area.

“I have everything I want here,” Bob said of his spacious computer-equipped office, decorated with a lifetime of memories, as well as portraits of family.

Bob raised two daughters and a son and Marty has a daughter and three sons.

Bob’s daughter, Peggy, is retired and living in Dallas, Lori is in an accounting firm in Cleveland and Stan lives east of Elkhart and is in the insurance business.

Marty explained that her Bill lives in California, Lynne is in Granger, Doug lives in Chicago and Brad is at Boston.

“We like to travel,”Marty said, and they visit family often. She said they plan to go to California this fall as Bill plans to get married.

But while some people have second homes in Florida or other locations, “we’re perfectly content here. Goshen is a nice, upbeat town,” she said. “We really appreciate what Goshen has become.”

The couple has traveled to the East to see the leaves in the fall, but Bob said “there are pretty leaves on C.R. 32, going out of Goshen, too.”

He explained he has enjoyed his retirement the past 22 years.

“I’ve been able to do some things without the shoe store,” Bob said. But he has also helped others and given advice to fledgling business owners, when asked.

Marty likes flowers, Bob explained, and collects different kinds of day lilies. “They’re about to bloom,” he said this week.

The expanded garden is a highlight, Bob said, as he has about 60 tomato plants, Marty planted potatoes this year and Bob is battling the hungry rabbits, who like the taste of his beans.

“I think I could be a vegetarian,” Bob declared, explaining he has a glass of tomato juice each morning and enjoys Marty’s fresh brewed iced tea in the afternoon. He said he is trying to take care of himself, paying attention to diet.

Bob explained they enjoyed Lake Wawasee and boating and before that, playing golf. He was a charter member of Maplecrest Country Club, which opened in 1960, but has dropped his membership. Arthritis prevents him from enjoying the sport, he explained.

Bob has grown up with The News and its predecessors.

“We read The News every day,” Marty says.

And they bragged about the good service they get from their carrier, who brings the paper to their garage every day — rather than leaving it down the driveway at the mailbox.