Gantz, Robert 'Bob'

With a continued spirit of fierce independence, Robert “Bob” Gantz reluctantly left this world on April 27, 2013, at the age of 94 years, 2 weeks. The cause of death was complications of long-standing congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Bob was born at home in the Bronx in New York City on April 13, 1919, one of three sons, to Benjamin and Esther Behrman Gantz. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School, graduating early at age 16 in January 1936. He completed three semesters at City College of New York. On Labor Day of 1936, he met the love of his life, Bernice Fisher, on Coney Island, and they subsequently spent the rest of their lives together. They were married in June 1941 and honeymooned at Lake George.

Between 1936 and 1941, when he enlisted in the Army, he was involved in several sales positions in New York. These included starting G and M Sales which sold wholesale pharmaceuticals, and starting the Mandell Game Corporation with his friend Morris, which handled sales of bingo equipment.

After enlisting in the Army, he attended Officer Training School in Victorville, Calif., and subsequently was assigned to Abilene and Galveston, Texas, where he and Bunny experienced their first hurricane. He spent the duration of the war in Peyote, Texas, which was a B-17 training base for pilots going to Hawaii and Australia, serving in the hospital supply corps.

Bob and Bunny returned to New York City after discharge in February 1946 and Bob worked for his father-in-law, Murray Fisher, in his business of creating and selling jewelry. Their son, Bruce was born there in May 1946. In December 1948, they took a trip to Iowa to visit relatives in Correctionville and, in 1949, they sold their house on Long Island to move to Iowa. In May 1949, Bob and Bunny purchased their first grocery store in Lake View, Iowa. Their son, Evan was born there in June1950. Bob liked to exclaim that he moved from being an executive on 47th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City to being a grocery clerk in a 20-foot wide grocery store in Lake View, Iowa! They lived in Lake View until retiring to Fort Myers, Fla., in the fall of 1977.

About six months after “retirement,” Bob decided he needed other diversions than just playing golf and he variously represented Brach's Candy Co., Procter & Gamble, and HavaTampa Cigars in the Fort Myers area. He enjoyed remarking that Tampa was the cigar manufacturing capitol of the United States!

Bob was active in the American Legion, Masonic Lodge, and the Commercial Club while living in Lake View. Along with citizens from Wall Lake, Odebolt, and Early, Iowa, he and a group of Lake View businessmen founded the Spring Lake Country Club just outside of town. He and Bunny were active members of Cypress Lakes Country Club in Fort Myers for 30 years.

He and Bunny returned to Iowa in 2005 and lived in Iowa City. Bunny preceded him in death in September 2012.

Bob gave his 94+ years a great ride, with a razor sharp mind and great physical energy.

The dry recitation of life facts doesn't fully capture Bob's spirit. A short character sketch composed by a Lake View junior high school student in the 1960s, son of very good friends, says it more directly and fully:

“A Sport”

by Greg Onstot

“This man is one of the most popular men in Lake View. He is very active and interested in promoting the welfare of this community. He is a short, stocky type of fellow who can talk a mile a minute. The top of his head is usually as burned as a berry throughout the year. He is probably the only man in the world who dresses like a million dollars, and drives a yellow paneled truck to work. A common Saturday morning sight is to see this gentleman walking toward the bank, swinging a money sack and chewing on an old cigar. He is truly one of the real sports of this metropolis.”

Bob was, by turns, very vocal and either upbeat or despairing about his passions - his country, the Hawkeyes, the Yankees, his adopted state of Iowa, golf, and the weather. He was entirely devoted to his wife of 71 years, Bunny, and to their sons and sons' families.

He is survived by his son, Bruce and wife Mary of Iowa City; son, Evan and wife Susan of Santa Barbara, Calif.; five grandchildren, Ellen (Sean Stiller), Jessica (Steve Sauter), Jay (Aura Weinbaum), Rachel and Sophie; and five great-grandchildren, Charlie, Vivi, Rose, Toby and Sadie. He is also survived by one brother, Dr. Sol Gantz (Catsy) of Cherry Hill, N.J.

The family would like to thank Bob and Bunny's devoted and loving caregivers at Oaknoll for their compassion and kindnesses.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, June 23, with the time to be announced.

Memorials may be directed to the Oaknoll Foundation, University of Iowa Foundation or Agudas Achim Synagogue.

Arrangements are with Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, Iowa City, where online condolences may be sent to www.lensingfuneral.com.

Published May 4, 2013 in The Gazette