Robert "Bob" Walker Jr.

Robert (Bob) Joseph Walker Jr., age 73, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 28, 2025, at MercyOne Medical Center in Mason City, Iowa.

Bob was preceded in death by his father, Robert Joseph Walker Sr., his mother, Ida Belle Walker, his brother, Philip Edward Walker and his dog Malley.

He is survived by his loving wife of 32 years and partner-in-adventure Connie Walker (Bruhl), and by his two children: son Luke Sky Walker of Washington, and daughter Pauline Belle Walker of Iowa. He is also lovingly remembered by his siblings: Carolyn Hatcher, Lindy Snider, Henry Walker, Miron Walker, Charlie Walker, Terry Walker, Jim Walker, Mike Walker, John Walker, Ben Walker, Clinton Walker, Sarah Walker-Goering, Carol Dominguez, and Judy Ridgway—as well as an army of nieces and nephews, cousins, extended family, and the many people who were lucky enough to know him.

Bob also leaves behind his beloved dog Shiloh who will no doubt be looking for the guy who always slipped them snacks when no one was watching.

Bob earned his master's degree in art from the University of Iowa and spent his life blending creativity with curiosity. His work life was as eclectic and interesting as he was—he spent time at Schneider Metal, IMI Cornelius, and earned local notoriety as "Bob the Tub Guy." He was also a dedicated educator in the College Building Trades program at NIACC, and a skilled photographer who captured life's wild beauty through his lens.

He was a man of many passions. Bob loved to travel and rode solo across the country on his motorcycle, coast to coast. He was equally excited for family vacations and spontaneous road trips. He was a proud and active Jaycee, attending as many national conventions as they'd let him. A lifelong fan of science, space, and all things cosmic, Bob attended space camp three times (because once simply wasn't enough), rarely missed an EAA airshow in Oshkosh, and made a point of catching the Indianola Balloon Races as often as he could.

To try and sum up Bob is like trying to bottle a lightning bolt—brilliant, energetic, and impossible to contain. He was a whirlwind of creativity, curiosity, humor, and heart, always up to something, always ready with a story, a helping hand, or a well-timed joke. He was: an artist, an engineer, an aeronautics enthusiast, a space case (in the best way), a philanthropist, a volleyball player, a Saturn and Corvette lover, a biker (both motor and pedal-powered), and a tandem bicycle innovator. He was a road warrior, a spectacle, a sci-fi fanatic, a prize-drawing aficionado, and the luckiest guy you ever met. He loved music, mesh shirts, photography, and the future. He was a videographer, a sculptor, an inventor, and a homemade guitar crafter. He was Bob, Joe, Robert, and Jr.—a man of many names, and somehow the guy everyone in town knew. You couldn't go anywhere without someone stopping to chat with him.

Bob was a comedian, a smart-ass, and an undeniable force of nature. To say he'll be missed doesn't even scratch the surface.

In true Bob fashion, we've planned his memorial/wake/roast on April Fools' Day, 2025, from 2–4 PM at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N Pennsylvania Ave, Mason City, IA 50401—because honestly, how could it not be April Fools? It's what he would have wanted.

We considered catering the event with Mountain Dew and Burger King (a nod to Bob's elite culinary preferences), but we figured maybe no one really wants to eat at a funeral. So instead, we're going BYOBOB—Bring Your Own Bob stories, laughter, photos, weird inventions, memories, and energy. We'll bring ours, too.

Come help us celebrate the life of a man who truly lived, truly laughed, and always, always left an impression.