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Of all the different Rehoboth roles during Bob’s
career, working with the high school choir was a constant—
spanning over 25 years. In addition to choir, he somehow
managed to teach multiple subjects; work as the director of
the after school program; serve as the middle school principal;
and finish his career with seven years as the RCS Executive
Director. He pursued each of these opportunities with a fierce
work ethic that often meant sending emails at all hours of the
day and night.
Bob’s deep love for music energized much of his life. “In
choir, we formed deep relationships and established life-long
bonds,” he reflects. Students came alive during performanc-
es like the Christmas concerts at Sacred Heart Cathedral or
rousing gospel concerts. Spring Flings, WWII programs,
“Let’s Go to the Rock,” NM History programs, and the musi-
cal Light Brigade each motivated kids to sing and act at levels
beyond anyone’s dreams. On 20 choir tours, Rehoboth groups
traveled to Germany, Canada, New Orleans, Michigan, Iowa,
California, Washington, Texas, Montana, and many other
venues. Bob even helped produce seven CD’s throughout the
years he directed the choir.
According to Max Lucado, life events called eternal instants
provide glimpses of the reality of heaven. Bob points to sev-
eral eternal instants during his time at Rehoboth. There were
treasured students who tragically died way too early: Josh
Landavazo, Maria Hoelscher, Renzo Fowler, Megan Ortiz,
Zachary Begay, Steven Yoder, Toby Seciwa, and Alexandra
De Armond. Bob knows it’s in the grief and hopelessness of
“Holy Darkness” that we experience the very real hope that
our lives are in God’s eternal hands.
The beauty of creation in the Southwest marks a second
eternal instant for Bob—sun on red rocks, sky-spanning
rainbows, Ramah waterfalls, and Colorado mountains. For
him, these wonders are a foretaste of the life to come. Finally,
the beauty of Native American culture points to heaven. Bob
reflects that Native culture is so different from the culture in
which he grew up and exemplifies a much bigger, more beau-
tiful perspective, foreshadowing future glory.
Bob’s mother once remarked that it would be unwise to
grow close to Bob and Mary because they never stay in one
place very long. Thankfully, the Ippels chose to stay here
over 30 years and, in doing so, watched their family of seven
children (four biological sons and three children adopted
from Ethiopia) grow and flourish in this place. They’ve found
purpose in a close, diverse community, and their understand-
ing of Christianity in a world of pain and suffering has greatly
expanded their faith and trust in God.
The advent of COVID presented great challenges for Bob
as Rehoboth’s Executive Director. He feared that under his
watch, Rehoboth might close due to insufficient funding,
families not returning, and donations diminishing. Instead,
Rehoboth became a place of hope and ministry to others. The
school distributed food and wood, sent buses onto the reser-
vation to serve as internet hotspots, and provided dedicated
counselors to comfort those who lost loved ones to the horrid
pandemic.
The Ippels look forward to volunteering in the Rehoboth
Community but also want to serve with their son Andrew
and his family in Nicaragua. Bob’s holy discontent always
leaves him wanting more for God’s Kingdom at Rehoboth.
He asserts, “New Mexico ranks 50th in the US for education,
health, and family issues. How can we influence those areas?
How can we support our kids better as a team and provide
a private education for all children who desire to learn more
about Jesus? The work is never done.” Hopefully, that holy
discontent will keep Bob around for a very long time.
In the years ahead, Bob desires less busyness, more travel,
and more presence in people’s lives. Something makes me
think that in retirement, Bob and Mary will continue to live
as servants and use their lives to point us all to Jesus.
» p.1
Mary and Bob Ippel, then and now
Above: Bob is a servant leader. He
could just as soon be seen clean-
ing up or serving food as leading
a church service or directing the
choir.
An early shot of Bob perhaps
reading with an eye of things to
come?
Bob arrived on campus in 1993
and taught in the Mid School
for many years.