Robert S. Bowker

Funeral services for Bob Bowker will Saturday, Feb. 19th, 10:30 a.m., at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sac City with Reverend Charles Bettin officiating, and Michele Suggitt, organist. Honorary pallbearers will include: John Criss, George Hummel, Ben Richards, Father Daniel Lynch, Dick Larsen, Henry Blaue, John Schulte, Charles Olson, Robert Williams, Glen Duncan, Guy Greenlee, Joe Montag, Jack Wickersheim, Ivan Olson, Lyle Kapaska, Marlen Pellersels, and Frank Pontious. Active pallbearers will be the following: Jerry Youll, Scott Greenlee, Mark Hosteng, Michael Sorensen, Gary Hansen, and Bill Engler. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery in Sac City under the direction of the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home.

Visitation will be Friday, Feb. 18th, 4:00-8:00 pm, at the funeral home in Sac City.

Robert Sydney Bowker, age 87, of Sac City, Iowa, passed away at his home, on Tuesday, February 15, 2005.

Robert was born May 24, 1917, in Cherokee, Iowa, the son of Leslie Eugene and Millie E. (Gilstrop) Bowker. Bob attended and graduated from Cherokee High School in 1935. While in high school, he excelled in sports, lettering in football and wrestling.
Bob worked for Council Oak Stores for 14 years. He worked in the communities of Cherokee and LeMars, Iowa, also in Worthington, Minnesota and was store manager in Luverne, Minnesota.

Bob was united in marriage to Eleanor L. Anderson on November 30, 1941, in Worthington. They were blessed with three sons, Robert (Cubs), John and Jeff.

He served in the U.S. Navy from February 5, 1942, to August 11, 1945: serving on the U.S.S. Leedstown, a troop carrier. This vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Algeria, Africa. Bob was a survivor. He also served aboard the U.S.S. Destroyer and the U.S.S. Hudson DD475 for 18 months in the South and North Pacific where he received nine citations for action.

Bob and his family moved to Sac City in 1946 so he could become the manager of the Council Oak Store. Bob became a rural mail carrier in 1953, retiring in 1980. He also was manager of the Sac City Country Club from 1970 to 1976 and an active golfer for over 50 years.

Bob was active in his community, church and sports. He was past president of the Chamber of Commerce, past commander of the Sac City and Sac County American Legion, past president of 9th District of Rural Carriers and a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sac City where he held many church offices. He was very active in his sons sporting activities: being a Babe Ruth baseball coach and a state director for many years.

Bob moved into Oak Terrace Estates in May 1996. He was on their board for six years and enjoyed many of their activities.

Three sons and their wives survive Bob: Robert (Cubs) and Jane of Vermillion, SD, John and Marti of Oskaloosa, IA, and Jeff and Nancy of Algona. IA. His five grandchildren; six great grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Frances Anderson of Eagle River, WI also survive him.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Eleanor on December 26, 1992; four brothers: Frank, Harry, Charlie and Herb; and four sisters: Ada Clark, Florence Holton, Sadie Kohler and Helen Wheat.