Robert Wilson Sr.

ROBERT F. WILSON SR.

Cedar Rapids

Robert F. Wilson Sr. passed away in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Dec. 24, 2016.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. Visitation will be one hour before the service. All are welcome.

Bob led a life of sticking up for the little guy and service to his community, the state of Iowa and our nation. He was born in Windsor, Colo., in 1926. As a child, he moved with his family to the Wilson family farm near Rockwell City, Iowa. After graduating from Jolley High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Pacific Theater in the MARS Task Force in Burma and later as a liaison to the Chinese Nationalist Army. On return from the war, he received a B.A. degree at the University of Iowa in 1949 and J.D. degree at the University of Iowa in 1951. Bob served as trial attorney for the Federal Trade Commission in Chicago from 1951 to 1953. When he discovered that Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was a good place to raise a family and was underserved from a legal services standpoint, he established a private practice in downtown Cedar Rapids.

In 1950, he married Mary Clark of Wheatland, Iowa. Three years later they had a son, Robert F. Wilson Jr., and another three years later a daughter, Katharine Anne Wilson. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives, representing Linn County, and helped lead the effort to reapportion Iowa to provide election by popular vote. He was active in the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Veterans for Public Safety. Over the course of his career, he helped countless people obtain fair justice, fought for the right to collectively bargain, and changed the lives of many ordinary citizens who were caught in a jam or were the victims of unscrupulous businesses.

Three years ago, Bob retired from over 60 years practicing law. At the time, he was the oldest practicing attorney in Iowa and certainly the oldest to still argue cases in court. Even though he retired from private practice, he continued to man the Legal Aid "hotline" for Iowa as an attorney-emeritus. When he was not helping Iowans in need, he was going to breakfast to enjoy haute cuisine with his friends at the famous Hy-Vee restaurant or going to the gym.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Foster W. Wilson and Anne Svedman Wilson; his first wife, Mary Clark Wilson; and his second wife, Janice Joines Wilson. He is survived by his brother, John F. Wilson (Hendersonville, N.C.); two children, Dr. Robert F. Wilson Jr. (m. Betsy Wilson, Roseville, Minn.) and Katharine Anne Wilson (Minnetonka, Minn.); three grandchildren, Rebecca Schwengber (Shoreview, Minn.), Adam F. Wilson (Shoreview, Minn.) and Jessica Zimmerman (New York, N.Y.); and five great-grandchildren, Gabriella, Zelda, Elijah, Robert and Charlotte.

In lieu of flowers, to continue Bob's work to help the little guy, contributions should be made out in honor of Robert F. Wilson and sent to Iowa Legal Aid Foundation by mail to 1111 Ninth St., Suite 230, Des Moines, IA 50314, or you may visit the Iowa Legal Aid Foundation website and select the "donate" button to make a secure online donation.

Online condolences may be left at www.cedarmemorial.com under "obituaries."