Robert “Bob” D. Nueske, who along with his brother Jim grew their father’s smokehouse into a nationwide concern, died Monday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He was 67.
Nueske was president of Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats in Wittenberg.
The Nueske family came to Wisconsin in 1882, bringing Old World skills for smoking, spicing and curing meat. Company founder R.C. Nueske couldn’t find smoked meat as good as what his family made, the company website states, so in 1933 he started selling smoked bacon, sausage, turkey and ham from the family farm, which was located not far from the present store/plant.
Bob Nueske was born on Feb. 22, 1947, and grew up working closely with his father.
Bob and his brother Jim — who passed away in February 2009 at the age of 59 — learned the business well, taking over leadership in the mid-1970s after R.C.’s death, and taking steps to expand.
The company developed from selling only in Wisconsin to nationwide sales, and later adding customers through catalog and online marketing. Since 2006, the plant at 1390 Grand Ave. in Wittenberg, has doubled in size with new slicing and packaging equipment installed to keep up with demand.
“All who know him will miss his unwavering dedication to quality in everything he accomplished and how he shared his values with others, said Megan Dorsch, marketing manager at Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats.
Tanya Nueske, Bob’s daughter, is the third generation of the Nueske family to run the smokehouse, and she is heavily involved in taking the same care of her family’s products as her father, Dorsch said.
“Bob will be missed but the recipes and traditional smoking of his family’s fine Applewood Smoked Meats will continue to be part of memorable meals taking place across the country,” she said.
Nueske’s received the gold Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation award in 2009 for its Applewood Smoked Bacon from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade.
Nueske’s was named the 2010 Retail Business of the Year by the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce not only for its strong performance in sales and service, but also for its community involvement. The company donates to a variety of area organizations, such as Dollars for Scholars, Shawano County Economic Progress Inc., numerous local academic and athletic clubs and activities.
In 2013, the historic bandshell in Washington Park in Wittenberg was rededicated thanks to the financial support of the company.
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