Below is the full article written by Sue Kiesewetter for the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Bob Niederman had two passions.
“He loved to farm, and he loved to have fun on the farm,’’ said Bethann Niederman, his wife of 23 years.
Niederman, 45, who died Wednesday after an eight-month battle with cancer, was the man whose paintball course, corn mazes and educational programs brought thousands of visitors to the family’s 214-acre farm to have fun.
To the children who came to the farm to learn about Butler County’s agricultural roots, he was known simply as “Farmer Bob.” To adults and his family, he was known for his sunny smile, “can do” attitude and problem-solving skills.
“He was a visionary. He worked through every crazy idea. He started the corn maze because he wanted to find someplace to play for the community,’’ his wife said. “He always said, ‘I can build that. I can make it or I can make it better.’ ”
And he did.
It was Niederman who diversified the cattle and dairy farm to bring in extra income. As the community became more suburban, it was Niederman who added barns to store boats and recreational vehicles.
When the local Pee Wee Football teams needed a place to play, Niederman built a field inside the hayfield around which his father erects the annual Christmas Walk Through the Bible display.
Except for his years at Ohio State University studying agriculture engineering, the 1984 Lakota High School graduate never left the family farm, raising his own five children in the house he grew up in. (more…)
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