Memorial
Robert F. Wilson, Sr. passed away in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on December 24, 2016.
A funeral service will be held at 11AM on Wednesday December 28 at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. Visitation will be one hour before the service. All are welcome.
Bob led a life of sticking up for the little guy and service to his community, the State of Iowa and our Nation. He was born in Windsor, Colorado in 1926. As a child, he moved with his family to the Wilson family farm near Rockwell City, Iowa. After graduating from Jolley High School, he enlisted in the Army and served in the Pacific Theater in the MARS Task Force in Burma and later as a liaison to the Chinese Nationalist Army. On return from the war, he received B.A. degree at University of Iowa in 1949 and J.D. degree at University of Iowa in 1951. Bob served as trial attorney for the Federal Trade Commission in Chicago from 1951 to 1953. When he discovered that Cedar Rapids, Iowa was a good place to raise a family and was underserved from a legal services standpoint, he established a private practice of in downtown Cedar Rapids.
In 1950, he married Mary Clark of Wheatland, Iowa. Three years later they had a son, Robert F. Wilson, Jr., and another three years later a daughter, Katharine Anne Wilson. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives, representing Linn County and helped lead the effort to reapportion Iowa to a provide election by popular vote. He was active in the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Veterans for Public Safety. Over the course of his career, he helped countless people obtain fair justice, fought for the right to collectively bargain, and changed the lives of many ordinary citizens who were caught in a jam or were the victims of unscrupulous businesses.
Three years ago, Bob retired from over 60 years practicing law. At the time, he was the oldest practicing attorney in Iowa and certainly the oldest to still argue cases in court. Even though he retired from private practice, he continued to man the Legal Aid “hot-line” for Iowa as an attorney-emeritus. When he was not helping Iowans in need, he was going to breakfast to enjoy haute cuisine with his friends at the famous HyVee restaurant or going to the gym.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Foster W. Wilson and Anne Svedman Wilson, his first wife Mary Clark Wilson, and his second wife Janice Joines Wilson. He is survived by his brother John F. Wilson (Hendersonville, NC), two children, Dr. Robert F. Wilson, Jr (m. Betsy Wilson, Roseville, MN) and Katharine Anne Wilson (Minnetonka, MN), three grandchildren, Rebecca Schwengber (Shoreview, MN), Adam F. Wilson (Shoreview, MN), and Jessica Zimmerman (New York, NY), and 5 great grandchildren, Gabriella, Zelda, Elijah, Robert, and Charlotte.
In lieu of flowers, to continue Bob’s work to help the little guy, contributions should be made out in honor of Robert F. Wilson and sent to Iowa Legal Aid Foundation by mail to 1111 9th Street, Suite 230, Des Moines, Iowa 50314 or you may visit the Iowa Legal Aid Foundation website and select the "donate" button to make a secure on-line donation.