Robert "Bob" L. Robinson

Robert “Bob” Lyle Robinson, 97, died on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, surrounded by his family at Deery Suites in Cedar Falls.

Bob was born on December 30, 1928, in Sabula, Iowa, to Henry Edwin and Edith May (Papke) Robinson, the second of eight children that survived infancy. He graduated from Sabula High School and enlisted in the Navy in 1946. He served as a yeoman, rising to the rank of Chief Petty Officer, before applying for and receiving a commission. Bob served as a Navy Officer until 1973, when he retired as a Commander in the Naval Supply Corps. He put his logistics experience to use, and worked for Wayne Engineering in Cedar Falls from 1973 to 1996. Additionally, he taught government for Upper Iowa University from 1992 to 1996 before retiring from paid employment.

While serving in the Navy, Bob completed a Bachelor of Science degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Political Science, and while attending the Naval War College, he received a Master of Arts degree from George Washington University in International Relations.

Bob was an active member of the Cedar Valley Sertoma Club for more than 50 years, and was a member of the Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists. He joined the Supper Club in 1989 and made his last presentation in February, 2018. He requested to be taken off the speaker’s rotation when he was 93.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents; wives, Marie (Burke) Robinson and Shirley (Berry) Robinson; sisters, Eleanor Cox, Virginia Ross, Rose Belk, June Rodgers, and Viola Moody; and brother, Clifford Robinson. He is survived by his children, Mark P. (Mary) Robinson, Janis (Dan) McGinnis, and Katie (Tim) Suich; stepchildren, Diane (Kent) Prescott, Denise Berry, and Mark (Kim) Berry; sister, Mima (Mickey) Meaney, and a host of friends. He also leaves behind his greatest joys–twelve grandchildren and twenty-seven (and counting) great-grandchildren.

The family will host a viewing at the Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home in Cedar Falls on Monday, April 6, 2026, from 4:00-6:00pm. Bob’s funeral service will be on Tuesday, April 7, at 11:00am, with visitation an hour prior at the Diamond Event Center in Cedar Falls. Following the reception, a private burial with the family will be held at Fairview Cemetery in Cedar Falls. Donations in Bob’s memory may be sent to the Cedar Valley Sertoma Club (1512 W. 12th St., Cedar Falls, IA 50613), which focuses on helping individuals with hearing loss through education and support. Please visit www.dahlfuneralhome.com to share condolences with the family.