Full Obituary

ROBERT I. DOW, age 81, of Loyal, died on Sunday, July 6, 2014 at his home. Funeral services will be held at 11am on Thursday, July 10, 2014 at St. Anthony Catholic Church, in Loyal. Rev. Steve Brice will officiate and burial will follow in St. Anthony Cemetery. Military rites will be conducted by the Loyal American Legion Post #175. Visitation will be held at the church, on Thursday, from 9:30am until time of service.
Robert Irving Dow was born in Greenwood, WI on March 9, 1933, the son of the late Eldora (Orsborne) and Irving Dow. He was raised and received his education in the Greenwood area, graduating from Greenwood High School in 1952. Bob was inducted into the U.S. Army on April 9, 1953. He served his country until his honorable discharge on March 28, 1955, spending most of his time in Germany. Bob returned to Greenwood and was united in marriage to Joan B. Welsh on August 27, 1955 at St. Anthony Catholic Church, in Loyal. They lived in Wisconsin for a short time, before moving to Chicago, where Bob worked as a diesel mechanic for Gateway Transportation, and others, for over 27 years. He eventually started his own trucking company, R&D Trucking, which he operated until retiring in 1994.
His love of family is what drove him. He was a wonderful father; caring, compassionate, generous, loyal, and had a heart of gold. Bob would give you the shirt off of his back, and showed his love by his deeds, which was the way he was taught. He was a very simple man by nature. His attire usually had him in bib overalls and a t-shirt. Bob was a very hard worker. His labor of love was working on cars, trucks and everything mechanical. He loved the Packers, gardening, pine trees, and had a very deep respect for Mother Nature. Bob loved deer hunting and felt very much at home in the wilderness of Wisconsin.
He was a member of the Loyal American Legion.
He will be dearly missed by his children: Robert (Christine) Dow of Mokena, IL, Christine Kindervator of Elizabethtown, KY, Pamela (Brad) Stewart of Mentor, OH; 10 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; a brother-in-law: Kenneth Monnier of Chicago; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Joan, on August 19, 2005; one daughter: Anita Jean Dow; one grandson: Timothy Atkins; two sisters: Geraldine Monnier and Joyce Perelka; and a son-in-law: Bill Kindervator.