Bob Engemann was a founding member of the popular sixties musical group known as the Lettermen.
The Lettermen formed in the 1950s, but did not become famous until 1961, when they signed with Capital Records. The group was known for its adult contemporary and romantic ballads. They had twenty hit records, with nine albums going gold and five earning them Grammy nominations. Their hits included “The Way You Look Tonight” “When I Fall in Love,” and “Theme From A Summer Place.”
They were known as a clean-cut, no-drugs group, which might have hurt them in the 1960s, but they refused to compromise. They had no respect for drugs. Engemann and fellow band member Jim Pike were graduates of Brigham Young University, which has a strict honor code prohibiting drug use.
Engemann left the group in 1967 because his family was growing and he wanted to stop traveling.
Engemann was a strong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are often called Mormons. He served a two-year mission to Minnesota as a young adult, but continued a tradition of personal missionary work throughout his life. Even as a celebrity, he carried Mormon literature with him to hand to anyone who was interested. He was a graduate of Brigham Young University, owned by his church, and later worked there as a development officer as well. He was a determined Cougar fan (the BYU mascot) and a driving force behind the fundraising effort to expand LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Those close to him noted that he lived a Christ-like life and never thought of himself as famous or important. He was always more interested in other people, even during his final hospitalization.
Bob Engemann died on January 22, 2013 of pneumonia. He had recently had heart surgery and a number of other illnesses.
