Warren Lee Tunwall

Warren Lee Tunwall

Iowa City

Warren Lee Tunwall was born December 2, 1960, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to parents, John and Anne (Webster) Tunwall. He passed away unexpectedly on September 25, 2025, at his home in Iowa City. He spent his childhood in Bettendorf, Iowa, attending Grant Wood Elementary School until his family moved temporarily to Worms, Germany, from 1970-1973. He returned to Bettendorf Middle School and graduated from Bettendorf High School in 1979 where he was a member of the swim team.

Warren received his Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Iowa and swam for the Hawkeyes during their Big Ten Championship Season of ’80-’81. He worked for the IAAP in Burlington, Iowa, his first five years following college, after which he followed in his family’s footsteps and took a job with Rockwell Collins, Coralville, where he helped pioneer one of the first ever GPS devices known as PLUGR. He went on to receive his MBA from the University of Iowa and moved into management with Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids and Coralville until his early retirement in 2019.

In September 2005, Warren and Deborah Slaybaugh were married in Iowa City in their beautiful backyard. They welcomed son, Jack, into their family in 2009.

Warren loved to swim regularly, garden, hunt for rocks, and spend time with his family hiking in the National Parks. He also loved swimming and fishing in the lakes of Ottertail County, Minn. He enjoyed cheering for the Hawkeyes, Indiana Fever, and Jack’s swim teams. Warren completed several triathlons and marathons, most notably the New York City Marathon several times and the test event for the Athens Olympics in 2003, taking place from the city of Marathon to the ancient Panathenaic Stadium in Athens Greece.

Warren is lovingly remembered by his family Deborah and Jack Tunwall; sister Gail (Bruce) Bindewald; parents-in-law: Mark and Joanne (née Paulson) Lynch, Gary and Carole Slaybaugh; sisters-in-law: Carol (Craig) Tunwall, Chris (Mark) Daly; nieces and nephews: Erin (Corbin) Carstens, Calista Bindewald, Andy (Meagan) Bindewald, Matt (Annie) Daly.

Warren is preceded in death by parents, John and Anne; stepmother, Myra Tunwall; and brother, Craig Tunwall.

Memorial Donations may be made to West High Boys and Girls Swimming, Bur Oak Land Trust, HACAP Food Reservoir, Houses into Homes, or the National Park Service.

A Gathering will be held on Sunday, October 5 at 12:00 pm with a Celebration-of-Life Service at 12:30 pm (during which people are encouraged to share memories of Warren) at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service on 605 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City, Iowa. An informal luncheon will follow on site at Lensing Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be directed at www.lensingfuneral.com.