Robert "Cowboy" Mack

Robert Mack “Cowboy” Age 92, of Gardner, IL, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at Riverside Medical Center, surrounded by his devoted family. Born May 7, 1934, in Hammond, IN, to John and Kate (née Wisneski) Mack, Cowboy built a life centered around family, friendship, hard work, and making memories with the people he loved most. Cowboy spent 38 years as a truck driver for Fatlan Trucking, a career he was very proud of and one that reflected his strong work ethic and dedication through the years. He was also deeply rooted in his community. Cowboy coached Little League baseball for many years, spent countless nights bowling in league, and was a proud charter member of the South Wilmington Beach and Fireman’s Club. He loved the small-town life and the people in it, and in return, his community loved him right back. Family was the center of Cowboy’s world. He was blessed with two great loves in his life. He married Jean Fatlan on August 20, 1955, and together they shared many cherished years until her passing on May 5, 1989. He later married Dolores Scheuber on February 16, 1991, and the two shared more than 30 wonderful years together until her passing on May 15, 2021. Cowboy truly knew how to enjoy life. He spent many hours at his family club, J&K Rancho, where countless memories were made through the years. He loved camping and camped every year. He enjoyed playing cards, gardening, tinkering, and could fix absolutely anything. He owned a house in the Northwoods and spent his summers there enjoying daily pontoon boat rides and winters snowmobiling on White Sands Lake. More than anything, Cowboy loved spending time with his family and friends. Friday nights often meant “Foley Fridays” at Foley’s in Essex, IL. Cowboy would gather with his siblings for dinner before heading to Foley’s, where stories were shared, laughs were loud, and memories were made. He always joked that if he ever made it to 90 years old, there better be one heck of a party. True to form, Cowboy celebrated exactly the way everyone expected him to by throwing himself a huge 90th birthday party at Foley’s. It was classic Cowboy, unforgettable, full of laughter, and a perfect reflection of the life he lived every single day. Cowboy leaves behind a large and loving family who will continue sharing the stories, laughter, traditions, and memories he created throughout his remarkable life. He is survived by his children, Robert “Chico” (Jody Kemp) Mack of Wilmington, IL and Kay (Joseph) Elens of Gardner, IL; and by his stepchildren, Lawrence Scheuber of Joliet, IL, Kenneth (Leslie) Scheuber of Las Vegas, NV, Alban (Denise) Scheuber Jr. of Gardner, IL, Arthur (Kathleen) Scheuber of Delafield, WI, and Ronald (Chris) Scheuber of Idaho. He was a proud grandfather to Jonathan (Makalyn) Mack, Jessica (Zach) Ferris, Katelyn (Dylan Winker) Mack, Sean (Jordyn) Elens, and Brendan (Breann Fisher) Elens; and step-grandfather to JB (Cheryl) Benac, Yvonne (Hector) Menchaca, Scott (Margaret) Scheuber, Dawn (Nick) Honiotes, Kim Scheuber, Brett Scheuber, KC Scheuber, Ryan Scheuber, Christine (Daniel) DeMello, Robin (Chris) Stinson, Keith (Jennifer) Scheuber, Lauren (Luke) Frobish, Carly (Eric) Koehn, Megan (Jason) Johnson, Mark Scheuber, Maureen (Dan) Fluyeras, Michael (Emily) Scheuber, Charlie (Kelly) Scheuber, Amanda Scheuber, Austin Scheuber, and Ryan (Katelyn) Foster. Cowboy was also blessed with 44 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren, all of whom brought him tremendous pride and joy. He is also survived by his siblings, Jennie (Al) Zlomie of Wilmington, IL and Melvin (Diane) Mack of Braceville, IL; and sister-in-law, Geri Mack of Diamond, IL. Cowboy was preceded in death by his first wife, Jean Fatlan; his later wife, Dolores Scheuber; his children, James Mack, Dale Mack, and Paula Jo Mack; his parents, John and Kate Mack; his grandson, Robert John Mack Jr.; stepdaughter, Sharon (Jim) Benac; stepdaughter-in-law, Lynda Scheuber; brothers, John (Joyce) Mack, Kenneth (Irene) Mack, Earl Mack, Martin (Judy) Mack, and Carl Mack; and sisters, Grace (William Hutton) Francios, Catherine (James) Flynn, Christine (John) Housman, Anna (Tom) Hillis and Charlote (Earl) Fatlan. Visitation will be held Friday, May 22, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at R.W. Patterson Funeral Home & Crematory. Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home, with burial immediately following at Braceville-Gardner Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Cowboy’s name may be made to the Gardner Fire Department, a meaningful way to honor a man who loved his community, spent his life surrounded by its people, and was proud to always be part of the town he called home. As Cowboy always said, “All that matters is that ya had fun.” For more information and to visit Cowboy’s online guestbook, please log on to www.rwpattersonfuneralhome.com or find us on Facebook. R.W. Patterson Funeral Home & Crematory 401 E. Main St., Braidwood, 815-458-2336 www.rwpattersonfuneralhome.com

Robert "Cowboy" Mack

May 7, 1934 - May 19, 2026

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Robert "Cowboy" Mack

May 7, 1934 - May 19, 2026

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