Robert Alva Howar

Robert Alva Howar: Bob died very unexpectedly Monday evening at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa at the age of 78 years, 10 months and 11 days. Bob's family includes his wife, Carolyn of Oskaloosa; a son, Mark (Julie) Howar of Goshen, Indiana; three daughters: Rozanne (Terry) Warder of Sioux City, Cheryl (Rick) Van Weelden of Eddyville, and Lisa Boggess of Oskaloosa; ten grandchildren: Brock (Donna) Warder of Chicago, Madison Warder of Sioux City, Travis (Samantha) Van Weelden of Oskaloosa, Tonya (Ray) Fletcher of Eddyville, Alison (Cory) Willson of Ames, Taylor Howar of Ankeney, Morgan and Jennifer Howar of Goshen, Indiana, and Zachary and Jared Boggess of Oskaloosa; four great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and Carolyn's six children and their families. Robert Alva Howar, son of Chester Alva and Christine Gwyrneth McIntosh Howar, was born June 08, 1931 in Shenandoah, Iowa. Bob's family moved to Creston, Iowa when he was a young child. He was a 1949 graduate of Creston High School. Bob furthered his education at the community college in Creston before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force, January 8, 1951. Bob served with the 824th Air Police and served for almost four years before being discharged, October 08, 1954. Nine days after his return to Iowa, Bob was united in marriage to Barbara B. Goodwin, October 17, 1954, at North Platte, Nebraska. Bob and Barbara began their life together in Tarkio, Missouri, where he resumed his education at Tarkio College and received his B.S. in biology in 1957. After graduation, Bob and Barbara moved the family to Oskaloosa and he opened Howar Shoes. Bob owned and operated the store from 1957 to 1998, when he retired. Barbara passed away January 25, 1997. Bob was blessed to find love twice and married Carolyn Muck on February 13, 1998 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Bob was a member of the First Christian Church, the American Legion, and Mahaska County Historical Society where he was a past president. He was also a past president and member of Kiwanis and past member of the Stapp's Drug Coffee Clutch. He enjoyed traveling, attending the Drake Relays, studying history and he was an avid reader. Besides his parents and his first wife, Barbara, Bob was preceded in death by a sister, Eleanor Hammer. PDF Printable Version

Robert Alva Howar

June 8, 1931 - April 19, 2010