Robert "Bob" Earl Davis of Des Moines, Iowa died on August 7, 2024, at UnityPoint Iowa Methodist Medical Center-Des Moines from a heart attack. Bob was born October 14, 1937, in Dubuque, Iowa to Clair Donald and Loraine Gertrude (Ellwanger) Davis. He was married to his beloved Connie for 62 years before his death. Visitation will be 5 PM - 7 PM, Monday, August 12, 2024, at Iles Westover Chapel, 6337 Hickman Road, Des Moines, Iowa. Visitation will also be 10 AM - 11 AM Tuesday at Grace United Methodist Church, 3700 Cottage Grove Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa with the funeral service to begin at 11 AM. The day of the service livestreaming of the funeral can be viewed at https://gracedesmoines.org/sundayservice/. Graveside service will be at 3 PM Wednesday, August 14, 2024, in Hoult Cemetery, south of Chrisman, Illinois located on the east side of State Highway 1 and U. S. Highway 150 at East 2100th Road.
Bob attended Irving elementary and Washington middle schools. He graduated Dubuque Senior High School in 1956 and attended the University of Dubuque graduating with a degree in Religion and Philosophy. He then attended one semester at the University of Dubuque Seminary. Between his sophom*ore and junior year in college Bob took a year off to do volunteer youth work for the Iowa United Methodist Church throughout the state. Between assignments he hung out at the University and in November met Connie White, a freshman. Within two months they were going steady and in two years were engaged. They married June 9, 1962, in the First Presbyterian Church in Hoopeston, Illinois.
Bob worked in Grace United Methodist Church in Lima, Ohio and then at First United Methodist Church in Marion, Iowa as a director of Christian education. While in Marion, their two children Doug and Lori were born. He then attended the University of Illinois earning a Master’s in Social Work in 1968 and began working with Hillcrest Family Services in Cedar Rapids, Iowa as a social worker, then in Des Moines, Iowa as branch office director, subsequently in Dubuque, Iowa as director of development and the adoption services coordinator.
After leaving Hillcrest ten years later, the family moved back to Des Moines. Bob started a private counseling practice by joining with Ray Martin in his practice. For several months they did a weekly "Ray and Bob" radio show discussing family relationships but found no sponsor. During that time Bob was employed part-time for the University of Iowa Psychiatric department doing in person research interviews of adults adopted as infants and with the parents who had adopted them. This covered several upper Midwest states as a part of a study of inherited traits in alcoholics. He also did some private adoption studies.
In 1981 he began working for Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines as a social worker/ supervisor in Younker Rehabilitation Center. In 1996 Bob transferred to Iowa Lutheran Hospital, working in the adult inpatient mental health unit. He retired in June 2000, then worked as needed at Iowa Lutheran and Iowa Methodist until 2009.
The family joined Grace United Methodist Church in 1971 where he served on church committees over the years as he had in previous churches. He has had district and conference positions in the United Methodist Church since high school. Bob was president of the North Iowa Methodist Youth Council, a member of the Conference Committee on Education, chaired the Conference Council on Family Ministries and the Conference Council on Environmental Stewardship, and was a member of the Conference Committee on Persons with Handicapping Conditions. He served Grace as a Stephens Ministry Leader. Bob, with his wife Connie, were certified Marriage Enrichment leaders since 1987 and served on the national board of Marriage Enrichment, Inc. including a term as co-presidents.
Going by car, bus, train, ship, plane, even just walking, Bob and his wife enjoyed traveling. They have been to western Europe, Israel, Germany, Austria, Canada, Mexico and to Great Britain four times. They had several cruises in the Caribbean including one to the Panama Canal, a cruise to Alaska, to Canada, and to Mexico twice and flew to Hawaii twice. They traveled to or through most states, visiting many of the National Park System sites, often with their young grandson. Recently they cruised from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland on the Rhine River and spent several more days in Germany and Switzerland visiting friends. The next year they traveled with Friend; of IPTV for 12 days in Ireland. They have traveled little since. In addition, Bob enjoyed trains, live theater, collecting art and maps, museums, chocolate, travel and landscape photography, and activities with family and friends. He has been a member of Toastmasters, Lions, and Kiwanis.
Bob was licensed in Iowa as an independent social worker (LISW). He was a 52-year member of the National Association of Social Workers and was active in the state NASW. He was a founding board member of its political action committee (PACE) in 1979-1984 and more recently served as its treasurer for 15 years. He was a member of its education and training committee for 21 years.
Other community involvement has encompassed serving on the Board of the Iowa Welfare Association including one term as president, the Policy Council for the University of Iowa School of Social Work, the planning committee for Up With Families of Des Moines, on the Board of the Iowa Area Multiple Sclerosis Association, co-leader of a Guillain-Barre Syndrome support group and cofounded and led a support group for caregivers of stroke victims. Bob served two years on the Board of Directors of Marion Independent Schools before moving to Des Moines and has been serving as an election judge in Polk County.
Bob is survived by his wife Connie, his son Doug and his daughter Lori Meye, all of Des Moines, and by his grandson Nicholas (Mallory) Meye of Denver, Colorado and sister Gayl (Richard) Carson of Orange Beach, Alabama. Also surviving are sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, his parents-in-law and by son-in-law Glenn Meye. Memorial contributions may be made to Grace United Methodist Church.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.ilesCares.com
Arrangements by Iles Westover
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