He felt most at home in St. Joseph

If you were talking about Silver Beach with Robert “Bob” Warren, he was likely to remind you that he once owned the slice of Lake Michigan shoreline. That is, before he transferred it to Berrien County. Bob wanted to make sure the beach was properly developed and could always be enjoyed by the community.

He felt that way about all his work — whether it was his company or not.

As the son-in-law of CEO Charles E. Schultz, Bob led the second generation of local family business LECO with his wife, Elizabeth, until 2016. Thanks to his vision, the company has sales and service representatives on nearly every continent. Today LECO’s innovative analytical equipment for metals, energy, environment, foods and geology are unsurpassed in the industry.

Bob has gone glimmering, as many of our treasured carousel friends have before us. In his lifetime, he frequently traveled to Las Vegas, Europe and Florida, but he felt most at home right here in St. Joseph. This is where he spent his final years.

He was surrounded by the visions he helped to see through. The couple were long-time supporters of the Venetian Festival and, nearest to our hearts, the Silver Beach Carousel. Not to mention the several other organizations, groups and causes they made countless contributions to.

We feel fortunate to have been a recipient of their kindness. Five of our carousel figures are made up of his family’s generosity: Feather, Octavious, Stargazer, Wild Wind and Thunder. It was a pleasure to work with him in his vision of bringing people together to enjoy Silver Beach and the Silver Beach Carousel.

Thank you, Bob, for your support and friendship. You will be missed.