Robert Wilson

ROBERT "BOB" JAMES WILSON

Iowa City

Bob Wilson, 84, of Iowa City, passed away peacefully at Mercy Iowa City on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, following a short illness. Visitation will be Saturday, Oct. 10, at 1 p.m. at St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Iowa

City. The funeral service will follow at 2:30 p..m.

Because of Bob's passion for education, in lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be directed to either the Old Capitol Kiwanis Education Scholarship Fund or Belmond-Klemme Community Schools Scholarship Fund.

Bob was born Oct. 8, 1930, in Vinton, Iowa, to S. James and Bertha Wilson. He attended schools in Stout and St. Ansgar, Iowa. He graduated from high school in St. Ansgar in 1948. He continued his education at Iowa State Teachers College (UNI), graduating with a B.A. in chemistry education in 1952. He married Sonia Ann Scholl in December 1952 in Boone. He served in the U.S. Army as a military intelligence analyst from 1956 to 1957 at Fifth Army Headquarters in Chicago. He returned to UNI and received his master's degree in science education in 1963.

Bob began his teaching career in Dike, Iowa, where he taught grades 9-12 science from 1952 to 1954. He continued his teaching career in Belmond, where he taught chemistry and physics from 1954 until his retirement in 1993. During his teaching tenure in Belmond, he also attended several NSF workshops, was a co-author of PRISMS (a physics curriculum), was awarded the Excellence in Physics Teaching Award in 1983 from the Iowa Academy of Science, and then served as president of the Science Teachers section of the Iowa Academy of Science from 1984 to 1985.

Bob made friends everywhere he went and was an active member of every community in which he resided. While in Belmond, he was elected to the Belmond Park Commission, was active in Toastmasters International, was a member of United Methodist Church, where he sang in choir and took on numerous leadership roles. After moving to Iowa City in 1999, he became active in Old Capitol Kiwanis, St. Mark's Methodist choir and Men's Club. He also belonged to a book club and volunteered in various places.

Bob treasured his family above all other things. He was blessed with three boys – Scott, Bruce and Brian. He was most proud of his two grandchildren, Colin and Kayci.

Bob is survived by his three sons, Scott (Mondy Raibon) Wilson of Patterson, N.Y., Bruce (Cathy) Wilson of Iowa City and Brian Wilson of Hutchinson, Kan.; and grandchildren, Colin Wilson of Iowa City and Kayci Wilson of Lawrence, Kan.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Sonia, and his daughter-in-law, Julie.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.lensingfuneral.com.