Bob Vawter

Bobby Lee Vawter died following a stroke on Sunday, July 12, 2020. He had been living in Saint Paul, Minnesota near his daughter Holly since September 2017 following his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. He was 88 years old. Bob was born on February 16, 1932, in Shenandoah, Page County, Iowa. His parents were Floyd Alton Vawter (1-Oct-1889 to 17-May-1979) and Ora Mae Duncan (7-Dec-1889 to 15-May-1972). Bob was the youngest of three children, with sister Evelyn Arlene Vawter (28-Apr-1912 to17-Nov-2000), and brother Elton Ray Vawter 21-Dec-1918 to19-Dec-2008). He went to school in the town of Coin in Page County, Iowa, just two miles from his family farm. He graduated from high school in 1949, and in 1951he enrolled in the Clarinda Junior College where he met Ruth Joy Whitehill (27-Oct-1932 to 31-May-1994) who became his wife on 5-Jun-1955. Bob volunteered for the draft on 17-Feb-1953 during the Korean War. After basic training in the Fifth Armored Division at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, he was assigned to the US NATO forces in Triste, Italy where he served as an office clerk. He achieved the rank of Sergeant before leaving the army in December 1954. In their early married life, Ruth was an Elementary teacher in rural Page County, while Bob farmed and drove a school bus. Bob went on to finish a two year teaching certificate in General Sciences and Mathematics from Maryville College in Maryville, Missouri in 1965. They moved to the Iowa City area shortly afterwards to continue their education, and Bob received a Master’s degree in Statistics from the University of Iowa. In the summer of 1967, he applied for a mathematics teaching position at Winterset Senior High School which he obtained and held through 1994. While working at Winterset Senior High School, Bob became the faculty advisor to the student HI-Y organization and put together the first computer science classes at Winterset High School in the early 1980s. He formed the “S&V Construction” company in partnership with fellow high school sciences teacher Edward Scholtens, which filled the summer months when they were not teaching. Bob and Ruth were long time members of the First United Methodist Church in Winterset and after his retirement, Bob became a member of the Rotary Club. In the years following his high school graduation through his time at the University of Iowa, Bob played baseball and softball in several community teams as a pitcher. He loved to fish, golf, shoot pool and play cards (especially cribbage which he learned to play from his grandfather Grandville Vawter). He always kept a garden (especially tomatoes), was a good cook, could build or repair just about anything, had a wonderful sense of humor, and made excellent brownies. Following the death of Ruth, Bob married Helen Sawyer, née Lekin. They continued to live in Winterset, though they enjoyed travelling and spending time visiting their children and grandchildren. Helen died 18-Feb-2018 following years of poor health. Bob was preceded in death by his parents Floyd and Ora, sister Evelyn Duncan (husband Howard and daughter Jane), brother Elton (wife Dorothy and daughter Valerie), first wife Ruth, and second wife Helen. Bob is survived by his two children, daughter Holly (husband Jacob Hugart), son Robbie, and three grandchildren: Thomas Allen Hugart, Zoë Joy Hugart, and Evelyn Ruth Hugart. It was Bob’s wish to be cremated and no visitation is planned at the present moment due to the continuing pandemic. His ashes will be privately interred in the Elmwood Cemetery at Coin, Iowa. In celebration of his commitment to the Winterset school system, memorials may be directed to the Winterset Community Education Foundation, P.O. Box 30, Winterset Iowa 50273. Cards to the family may be sent to the Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home in Winterset or online condolences may be made at caldwellparrish.com.