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IN LOVING MEMORY OF Robert (Bob) H. Erwin
Robert (Bob)
H. Erwin
Jan 3, 1927 — May 20, 2022
Rochelle
Robert (Bob) H. Erwin's Obituary
Bob Erwin of Rochelle, Illinois passed away in Sycamore, Illinois on May 20, 2022. He was 95
years old.
Bob was a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, teacher, coach, mentor, leader,
humanitarian, substitute father and friend. He was kind, generous, loving, compassionate,
honorable, moral, humble, soft-spoken, and faithful. His influence will live on through his
family, his students, his athletes and many of the other lives he touched.
Robert Herman Erwin was born on January 3, 1927, in Kansas City, Missouri to Harvey "Cecil"
and Minnie "Gladys" (Chapman) Erwin. He had one younger brother, Tom. His father worked
for the Kansas City Power and Light Company and his mother was a teacher and principal. Bob
spent many summer months on his grandfather's farm in nearby rural Missouri. He was a Boy
Scout and later became a youth leader in the Scouts. He played football, basketball and
competed in track and field in high school.
Bob attended Southeast Missouri State University for a year and enrolled in the V-12 program,
similar to today's ROTC, to prepare for a commission in the military. He transferred to Iowa
State University where he earned his B.S. in mathematics while also continuing his preparatory
work for the Navy and playing football for the Cyclones. After graduating, Bob took a job
teaching math and coaching at Clear Lake High School in Clear Lake, Iowa. While there, he met
Gloria Scott and they married in 1952. They lived in Clear Lake except for two years of active
duty in Charleston, South Carolina.
Bob's active duty included a brief time during the Korean War, when he was assigned to a mine-
sweeper in the Mediterranean Sea. While they were stationed in Charleston, Bob and Gloria's
first child was born shortly after the war. Bob was fortunate to be home just long enough to hold
his new daughter before reporting back to his ship in the Caribbean. The next two Erwin
children were born in Clear Lake and in 1957 the family moved to Rochelle, Illinois where he
continued teaching Math and coaching. The last of their children was born in Rochelle. Bob
earned his Master's degree from Northern Illinois University while teaching in Rochelle. He
coached football, basketball and track and field for years, coaching track and field until he retired
in 1989.
Bob continued serving his country in the Naval Reserve, attaining the rank of Lieutenant
Commander before his military retirement. Because students saw him in uniform outside of
school, he got the nickname "Captain Bob". The family took numerous trips across the country
for his summer Reserve duty, camping from coast to coast while heading to bases in San Diego
or Newport, Rhode Island. They took many circuitous routes, visiting as many states as possible,
as well as Canada and Mexico.
Bob had many "extra-curricular" activities. Many summers he painted houses with a crew of
other teachers. His hobbies included gardening, reading, macrame, stained glass, refinishing
antique furniture, and coin collecting. He played bridge with Gloria and friends for decades and
later scored enough points to earn the title of Life Master through his involvement with a bridge
club in Rockford. After Gloria passed away in 1997, he traveled the world doing humanitarian
work with Global Volunteers in Australia, the Cook Islands, Mexico, Ecuador, Northern Ireland
and to the Black Feet Indian Reservation near Glacier National Park in Montana. His family has
fond memories of volunteering with him on the Montana trip. Bob served First Presbyterian
Church of Rochelle in a variety of roles, including leading Youth Fellowship with Gloria,
heading fundraising efforts and serving as an Elder on the Session. He also participated in three
mission trips to Kenya with other church members.
Bob is loved and will be missed by his four children, Sue (Dave) Kapraun, Spring Grove, IL;
Scott (Vicki) Erwin, DeKalb; Sarah Mariani, Rockford; Steve (Donna) Erwin, Woodstock, IL;
his four grandchildren, Laura (Jason) Owen, Peoria, AZ; Abby Erwin and her husband Dominic
Nocerino, NY, NY; John (Jennah) Mariani, Milwaukee, and Nate Erwin and his fiancee Keri
Woltz, Portland, OR; two great-granddaughters, Quinn and Ella Mariani; sister-in-law Birgit
Scott, and nephews, Hans-Erik Scott and Peter (Kristen) Scott.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Tom, his wife Gloria, brother-in-law Jerry
Scott, and son-in-law Arnold Mariani.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 9:00 am at First Presbyterian Church in
Rochelle, 1100 Calvin Rd., Rochelle, Illinois, 61068, followed by a memorial service at 11:00.
Join the family afterward for a luncheon in the fellowship hall.
Memorial donations in Bob's honor may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Rochelle or Rochelle Township High School at 1401 Flagg Road, Rochelle, IL, 61068.
Arrangements were completed by the Butala Funeral Home and Crematory in Sycamore, IL.
To sign the online guest book or share a special memory with his family, go to www.ButalaFuneralHomes.com
To send flowers or plant a memorial tree in memory, please visit our flower store.
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