Former BJ State Desk reporter Bob Page (1968-73), who escaped the cursing in the newsroom and Composing by becoming a minister, has moved into a new home in the Tall Trees Village of The Villages, Florida with his new wife, Vickie.

They were married last New Year’s Eve. Both sold their homes in The Villages and had one constructed.

Their home is 10 minutes by golf cart from the new church his congregation is building and a Bob Evans. The best of both worlds.

Tall Trees Village isn’t far from the marvelous Villages Charter Schools, which rank at or near the top among Florida schools in most testing and which has a fantastic music program for band and choral groups.

Bob is associate pastor at Live Oaks Community Church, which is in The Villages although its mailing address is 5600 Heritage Boulevard, Wildwood, FL 34785.

Vickie was a member of Bob’s congregation when Bob’s wife, Linda, passed away in 2009 after 41 years of marriage that including living in Cuyahoga Falls and Barberton.

Bob and Linda had three children and five grandchildren. Their children are Michelle Page McQuarrie, University of Minnesota-Morris professor; Gayle Page Schanou, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where husband Mark is a children's and family ministries pastor; and Rob Page, in Vernon Hills, Illinois, who works for Zurich Insurance in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Bob and Linda met when both were living in Ashtabula, Ohio.

Bob came to Live Oaks Community Church in 2013 after 37 years in pastoral ministry in the Evangelical Free Church, where he was senior pastor for 20 years at the Evangelical Free Church in Crystal Lake, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He also was a pastor in Stromsburg, Nebraska (surrounded by Swedes), Fargo, North Dakota and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He was Evangelical’s district superintendent in Kansas and Nebraska for five years.

The Kent State University journalism graduate has both a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministries degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Bob and one-time State Desk assistant editor John Olesky played golf every Thursday during John's winter stays in The Villages at Paula’s house. Former BJ printer Hugh Downing, who passed away Wednesday, November 9, arranged the tee times and played with us.

If you want to re-connect with Bob, his cellphone number is (847) 917-0551.