Highlands Current · Fairfield, IA
Robert Rathe (1942-2026)
Robert Neal Rathe, 84, died Oct. 31. He met his future wife, Adelle Glick, in fourth grade at Haldane Elementary in Cold Spring. Robert was born Jan. 11, 1942, in Manhattan, the son of Ethel and Fred Rathe of New York City and Cold Spring. He attended the University of Vermont and Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa. He took over the family display business in 1964 and, with his brother, Rick, grew Rathe Productions into an international design firm known for the Dinosaur Halls at the American Museum of Natural History and exhibitions for the Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty museums, as well as World’s Fairs. Robert also created and co-owned the iconic Gotham Bar and Grill in New York City. He was a race car driver, car collector, foodie, chef, world traveler and backgammon player. He lived on his own terms, pursuing every passion with fearless curiosity, his family said. He married Adelle, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Glick, on Aug. 26, 1965, at the Beacon Hebrew Temple.
