Tilden, Robert C.

Robert C. Tilden, 81, of Cedar Rapids and Lecanto, Fla., died Monday, Oct. 12, 2009. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at Cedar Valley Bible Church, 3636 Cottage Grove Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Internment will be in Ames Municipal Cemetery, Ames, Iowa. Bob's family invites friends to visit with the family following the memorial service.

Bob was born on May 8, 1928, to Clark Duncan and Dorothy (McCorkindale) Tilden in Ames, Iowa. After attending Iowa State University for two years, he transferred to the University of Iowa where he earned his B.A. degree in 1949 and his J.D. degree, with honors, in 1951 from the College of Law, where he served as Notes Editor of the Iowa Law Review. He married Mary Jean Bond on July 29, 1950, in Ames, Iowa, and celebrated each day together with her.

After beginning his legal career in Cedar Rapids, Bob enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a 1st Lieutenant, in the JAGC from 1953 to 1955. Following his service, Bob and MJ moved their family back to Cedar Rapids to rejoin the Simmons Perrine law firm where he was a partner from 1958 to 1990. As an accomplished trial lawyer, Bob was a charter member of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers and, in 1975, he was elected as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. In 1978, he was one of three nominees whose names were submitted by the Supreme Court Nominating Commission to then governor Bob Ray for appointment to the Iowa Supreme Court.

During his legal career, Bob served as president of the Linn County Bar Association and as general counsel and board member of Perpetual Savings Bank and he was appointed by the Iowa Supreme Court to its Advisory Committee on Rules. He also was a member of the boards of directors of St. Luke's Hospital, the Red Cross and the Cedar Rapids Country Club.

Bob is survived by his wife, Mary Jean; and their children, Nancy (Jon) Burianek of Boulder, Colo., Sue (Jim) Adams of Wichita, Kansas, Jim (Becky) Tilden of Prairie Village, Kansas, and Sarah (Gregg) Enger of Prairie Village, Kansas; grandchildren, Jason (Michelle) Burianek, Elsa (Garet) Havel, Elizabeth and Jessica Adams, Dan Tilden and Stefanie and Collin Enger; and great-granddaughter, Bria Havel.

He is also survived by his brother, John D. Tilden; sister, Susan T. Vaughan; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Bill and Faye Bond; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in Bob's name to Mercy Foundation (Hospice of Mercy), 701 10th St. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA or Cedar Valley Bible Church.