News

Annie's House volunteer passes away

By Tyler Ohmann

06/04/2013

On May 23 several communities around the United States mourned the loss of a kind and generous man, including the Bottineau community.

Bob Lotspeich, 73, known by many as “Builder Bob” was a big part of the New York Says Thank You Foundation and its projects for the past five years, including the “Annie’s House” project at the Bottineau Winter Park.

Lotspeich, who was a key cog in the Annie’s House project, died swiftly in a construction accident. He touched many lives, including those from the Bottineau area that helped with Annie’s House.

“He was just a wonderful, gentle giant,” said Diane Olson of the Bottineau Economic Development Corporation, a big player in the project. “He worked really hard on the project and really wanted to know about the community.”

“He was a phenomenal person,” Olson added.

Lotspeich was a large part of the planning and construction process at Annie’s House from a year prior and throughout the entire process.

One person that he touched was Brad Robertson of Wold Engineering in Bottineau. Robertson worked closely with Lotspeich in the planning process.

“Even when I first met him I could tell that there was something special about him, and I got to learn more about him in our conversations and got to learn about who he was,” Robertson said. “His faith was his life. I think maybe that’s what drawed a lot of people to him.”

Robertson recalls how Lotspeich handled a tragic moment in the work prior to the big build weekend. It was a moment that defined who he was.

One day about a week before the big build Robertson recalls Lotspeich hollering for everyone to stop working. They all gathered as Lotspiech delivered sad news about a NYSTY volunteer’s father who had passed away. He then led the volunteers in prayer according to Robertson.

It hit Robertson hard to hear the news.

“He definitely impacted me, and when we got the news it was really sad to hear that,” Robertson said. “I was really looking forward to getting back together and working with him this fall.”

Robertson knows that his impact was felt throughout our nation, and that he was a true patriot.

“He was really well known throughout the nation for his expertise in construction,” Robertson said. “It didn’t matter if you were older than him or a little kid, he treated you the same.”

Another person who worked closely with Lotspeich was Cedric Jacobson, a board member at BWP.

Jacobson recalls first meeting Builder Bob the Sunday before the build weekend. Jacobson was mowing lawn near the old chalet as Lotspiech walked down the hill with five other workers. They introduced themselves and immediately asked where the plans for the building were so they could get straight to work.

“Of all the volunteers that were up here Builder Bob was one of the most sincere, hardest-working guys that you could ever imagine,” Jacobson said. “His dedication was unbelievable and his heart soul was in the project.”

To truly understand Builder Bob’s impact one needs only to read the messages on the New York Says Thank You Foundation facebook page.

Though he is no longer part of this world, chances are he is looking down on all of those he impacted from above.