Robert Wulff

Robert D. Wulff, 90, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Jackson passed away Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center.

He was born Nov. 15, 1924, in Rosebud, Missouri, to Benjamin V. and Mollie Reed Wulff. He and Norma Elualee Lee King were married Nov. 2, 1967.

Robert moved to Gordonville in 1938 when his father became the minister of Zion United Methodist Church, but Robert soon started working at Shade's Cafe so he could live in Jackson to attend and later graduate from Jackson High School.

He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943 but later was transferred to the Air Force, where he became a fighter pilot. He flew a P-40 Warhawk and a P-51 Mustang during World War II.

After the war, Robert started working at Absogood Packing before buying the company's chicken hatchery business in 1947. He then operated Wulff's Hatchery at the intersection of highways 61 and 25 in Jackson until 1975. He then worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shield until his retirement in 1989.

Robert loved golf, and in 1962 he, along with four other gentlemen, founded Kimbeland Country Club in Jackson, with Robert overseeing the construction of the greens. Kimbeland became the first 18-hole golf course in Cape Girardeau County and was considered to be the best golf course between St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee.

He was a member of New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson and a member of Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post 158.

Survivors include his wife; a sister, Mildred Brase and husband Herbert of Nixa, Missouri; two children, Robert Wulff and son-in-law Jim Eimers of Santa Rosa, California, and Patricia Puls of Naples, Florida; grandchildren, Shannon Puls and wife Bess and Drew Puls and wife Sarah; and eight great-grandchildren, Miles, Gage, Megan, Addison, Cole, Ethan, Braeden and Blake.

Also surviving is a stepson, John Payne (Pam Vincent) of Topeka, Kansas; three stepgrandchildren, Sarah, Scott and Andy; and six great-stepgrandchildren, Henley, Lashley, Katherine, Anna, Stella and Drew Faith.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Bettie Wilson; a brother, Lewis; two sisters, Laura Roberts and Maurine Astolfi; and a son-in-law, Van Puls.

Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until service time Sunday at Ford and Sons Funeral Home-Jackson, formerly Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home.

The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jimmie Corbin officiating. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Online condolences may be made at fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.