Robert "Bob" W. Hewlitt, Sr.

Bob Hewlitt was born February 17, 1941 in Eston, Saskatchewan, Canada. He had a twin sister Pat (Patricia) and an older sister Lorraine. He spent his youth helping his father with the farm and helping his mother in the house with boarders. From a young age, Bob always loved to figure out how things worked, finding problems and making things better. He especially loved tinkering with tractors, so Bob decided he did not want to continue farming after high school and instead enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan to study mechanical engineering.

At University, Bob and some friends rented an apartment where he met Doris Wingerak, a nursing student, who lived in the apartment above. They began dating in 1966 and remained together ever since. When Bob graduated, he proposed to Doris and applied for a job at John Deere Engine Works in Waterloo, Iowa. They were married on August 26, 1967, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and moved to Cedar Falls later that year.

Bob thought the world of his family. Between 1970 and 1979, he & Doris had four children together: Rob, Reid, Rebecca, and Rachel. Bob instilled a sense of independence and drive in his kids that they could accomplish anything, and he provided them with care and support whenever needed. Bob and Doris made lifelong friendships everywhere, from the John Deere community to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and all the neighborhoods where they lived; they enjoyed a thriving social life together, attending picnics, camping trips, softball games, tennis matches, card clubs, and dance groups along the way. In 2001, Bob & Doris received their United States Citizenship after holding their Green Cards for over 30 years.

Bob was dedicated to excellence and enjoyed his work immensely. He was especially committed to designing engines for longevity. As a mechanical engineer at John Deere Product Engineering Center (PEC), Bob designed engine parts (water pumps, oil pumps, turbocharger systems). He acquired numerous patents with John Deere for his designs, including a “gas turbine engine regenerator seal assembly with floating leaf sealing element” and a “load carrying assembly for an internal combustion engine.” Bob was valued highly by engineers and engineering management for his technical expertise of engine systems and his clever designs. He remained with John Deere as a Senior Engineer for 41 years until his retirement in 1996, although he returned to work as a contractor for several years.

In his spare time, Bob would work on the family vehicles and tinker with lawn mowers, building a wood splitter and trailer from scratch. He always had a project going and loved a new challenge or problem to solve. This continued as he got into woodworking, where a basement with a workbench grew into an elaborate woodshop, complete with a custom vacuum system he built himself. He joined a local woodworking club and continued discovering new projects over the years.

Bob could build or make anything he set his mind to. When his daughters finished college, he was going to make cedar chests for them, which he did; but Rachel asked, “What about a cedar canoe?” The joke became curiosity, and Bob figured out how to build his first cedar strip canoe, then a second and a third, then a kayak, then a fishing boat! These beautiful works of functional art were admired by many and were reflective of his incredible talent, intellect, and skill. Over the years, many ideas and requests were always fulfilled: helping Becky move cross-country using walkie-talkies to stay connected, collaborating with Rachel to construct wood steps in her new home, onto producing customized tables, chairs, cutting boards, pepper grinders, pens, phone holders, Kleenex box covers, rocking horses, and numerous items for charity auctions.

When Bob and Doris moved into independent living, he continued his woodworking in the historical round barn at the Western Home Community, surrounded by friends, sawdust, stain, and tools. He maintained his boats, continued his various woodworking projects, and remained ever willing to take requests, solve problems, or just help out. You name it, and Bob could figure out how to make it or fix it. Most recently, he’d been helping his grandson Zayden with converting a vintage wagon wheel into a table.

In recent years, Bob spent his time making new friendships and rekindling old ones. Saturday coffees, bike rides throughout Cedar Falls, mall walking, and some line dancing here and there, if anything, Bob was always active. He was kindhearted, ever helpful, filling his days with tasks and then taking a nap or two -- but only “40 winks” or “resting his eyes.”

Bob was grateful for the wonderful life that he shared with Doris and all of his immediate and extended family -- full of successes, changes, challenges, and victories. He felt forever blessed to have it spread long over the years and to touch so many lives with laughs, hobbies, stories -- and most of all, with love.

Bob is survived by his beloved wife, Doris Hewlitt; daughters Rebecca Zieman and Rachel Hewlitt; daughter-in-law, Susan Hewlitt; and grandchildren, Cicily Hewlitt, Zander Zieman, and Zayden Zieman. He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen and William Hewlitt; sisters, Pat Byrnes and Lorraine Gunther; and sons, Robert Hewlitt, Jr. and Reid Hewlitt.

Bob’s funeral will be held at 11am, Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home in Cedar Falls, with visitation an hour prior, and a reception to follow. A private graveside service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Western Home Communities Foundation - Workshop & Woodworkers. Please visit www.dahlfuneralhome.com to share condolences.