Robert E. Mick, 84, of Newton died Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019, at Unity Point – Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. A memorial service was at 11 a.m., Monday, Dec. 30, at First Christian Church in Newton with Pastor Mark Young and Dick Palmer officiating. Burial was in Newton Union Cemetery. Memorials have designated to First Christian Church, The Salvation Army, or American Heart Association
Bob was born July 30, 1935, near Galesburg, the son of Clifford and Errisje (Kolfschoten) Mick. Bob was united in marriage to Marilyn L. Trent on Mar. 17, 1956. He had been a member of the Newton Masonic Lodge for 63 years and served the Lodge as secretary for a period. In 1971, Bob became a member of Rotary International and served the Newton Club as president and became a Paul Harris Fellow. Bob served on The Salvation Army board for 21 years. He served his country in the Air National Guard from 1953-1961 to being discharged as a Staff Sergeant. He was a member of Jasper County Cemetery Commission, where he served as secretary. He had been a member of the Jasper County Genealogical Society, serving as registrar. An exciting part of Bob’s life was building and flying an ultralight gyroplane he had built and flew for four years. Bob was a member of First Christian Church in Newton, where he served as deacon and elder.
A graduate of Sully High School, Bob was employed by Iowa Southern from 1953-1996, retiring as district manager in Newton. I attained the position of lineman and was promoted to the management position of safety and training in the general office in 1962. In the fall of 1962, I was asked to take an engineering technician’s position in the Southern District. I was taking several courses at Indian Hills Community College to assist him in the engineering-type work. I was promoted to Southern District Technical Supervisor in 1964. In 1969, I was chosen as one of the six members of a Rotary International Group Study Exchange, which toured Norway during the months of May and June. I was named to the operating supervisor’s post in Chariton in 1971. I was transferred to Newton in 1974 to become the district superintendent in the Northern District. I was promoted to electric system superintendent in the Eastern District in Burlington. A search for a larger building to house all the three Iowa Southern Departments ended with the purchase of the Champion Products Building where I was responsible for the design remodeling and usage in 1982.
Survivors include his wife, Marilyn; two daughters, Terri (Randy) Vogel and Tanya (Gary) Goodman; grandchildren, Brent (Alexandra) Goodman, Aaron Goodman, Corey Goodman, Tiffany (Jeremy) Lownes, Jennifer (Jake) Balk, and Troy (Simon) Vogel; and great-grandchildren, Devonny Goodman, Brenna Goodman, Stella Goodman, Wesley Goodman, Parker Lownes, Ethan Lownes, Ruby Goodman, and Nolan Balk. Those preceded him in death were his parents and brother David Mick.
This obituary was written by Bob.
