McCracken, Robert A. 'Bob'

Robert A. “Bob” McCracken, 66, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013, at his home after a yearlong battle with pancreatic cancer. Funeral Mass will be 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at St. Jude Catholic Church, with the Rev. Mark Reasoner officiating. Burial, with military honors, will be at Mount Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 until 8 p.m. Tuesday at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, with a prayer service starting at 4 p.m. Additional visitation will be one hour before the service on Wednesday at the church. Bob is survived by his loving wife, Nancy (Doonan) McCracken; children, Matt (Stephanie) McCracken of Cedar Rapids and Tara (Brandon) DeGroote of West Des Moines; grandchildren, Brynlea and Drake DeGroote; father, James J. McCracken of Cedar Rapids; sister, Nancy Mulherin and husband Mike of Marion; sister-in-law, Judy McCracken of Cedar Rapids; sister-in-law, JoAnn Miller and husband Bob of Marion; brother-in-law, Jeff Doonan and wife Sheryl of Cedar Rapids; and his many nieces and nephews and lifetime close friends.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Alice McCracken; brother, Bill McCracken; sister, Joan Heald; grandparents, Peter and Margaret McCracken and Thomas and Amelia Donohoe; and his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Clarence and Frances Doonan.

Bob was born Nov. 15, 1946, in Cedar Rapids, the son of James and Alice (Donohoe) McCracken. Bob graduated from Regis High School in 1964 and in 1974 from Northland College in Ashland, Wis., with a degree in environmental studies. He was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving from 1967 to 1971. Bob began his career in 1976 at the Duane Arnold Nuclear Energy Plant as manager of quality control and retired from Alliant Energy, Cedar Rapids, as a manager of safety/safety consultant in 2011 after 35 years of service.

He was a member of St. Jude Catholic Church and the Marion American Legion Post 298. Bob enjoyed fishing, hunting, golf, traveling, tailgating with friends at Iowa football games, and above all he loved spending time with his family and grandbabies.

Bob enjoyed participating in sports as a youth and young adult and continued this love by coaching and instructing Tara and Matt through their youth and high school sports careers and was just beginning to give the same support to his grandchildren, Brynlea and Drake, in their chosen activities. He loved his special pets, Barney, Brewster and Rookie, who he called God's angels.

Bob was an unselfish man who always put others first. Many of his dear friends and family often spoke of Bob as a genuine “good guy.” He truly will be missed by all who loved and knew him.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Warren and the PCI Oncology Group and to Dr. Bell and the St. Luke's Inpatient and At Home Hospice Care for all they did for Robert the past year.

Memorial donations can be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to advance research, support patients and create hope for all those touched by pancreatic cancer at 1500 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, (877) 272-6226, www.pancan.org or directed to the family in Bob's memory.

Please leave an online condolence for the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.

Published Sept. 8, 2013 in The Gazette