Robert E. McCoy

1929 - 2021

Robert E. McCoy

July 22, 1929-October 17, 2021

Bob was born in Elgin, Illinois on July 22, 1929 to Ruth and E. Earl McCoy. At the age of 14 he worked at a mink ranch with German POWs. His shared lunches with them led to a life-long love of the German language. He graduated from high school in June of 1947 and attended Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin. While in college he spent a summer at Chaley Colorado camps, where he guided groups of high schoolers up Long's Peak (14,259 feet). He loved the mountain west. He later worked summers at Yellowstone, and he joined the Iowa Mountaineers for climbing trips at Banff and Glacier national parks. After graduating summa cum laude from Lawrence, he attended Medical School at Northwestern University. He graduated with an MD from Northwestern on June 5, 1955. He attended the University of Iowa, completing his residency in orthopedic surgery and a Master of Science degree. During his time at Iowa, he met Bonnie Ellen Amerman. He was pleased to relate that he and Bonnie walked across the commencement stage together as husband and wife, with Bob receiving his degrees and Bonnie receiving her master's degree in nutrition. From Iowa City they moved to Dayton, Ohio, where Bob spent two years as an orthopedic surgeon in the Air Force. The couple then moved to Mason City, and Dr. McCoy joined Surgical Associates. They enjoyed the extended family of Surgical Associates until his retirement in 1992. They were members of First Presbyterian Church for more than 50 years.

When Bob & Bonnie moved to Mason City, they purchased a home two doors up from the Blythe House. When the Blythe house became available, they immediately fell in love with it, and they purchased the home in 1964. Bob had no previous education in architecture, but he soon came to appreciate the cultural gem they happened upon which changed the course of their lives. Shortly thereafter, Professor J. William Rudd from the University of Cincinnati brought a tour group of architecture students to Mason City and asked to be able to take pictures of the Blythe House. That encounter led Bob and Bonnie to a lifetime involvement with Prairie School Architecture research and preservation. Bob referred to Prairie School architectural research as his avocation.

After reading about Walter Burley Griffin, who had moved to Australia to design Canberra, the new capital city, and finding no good historical record of Prairie School Architecture in Mason City, Bob began his local research. After several years, many correspondences and interviews of first-hand participants, Bob published an article in the Prairie School Review entitled "Rock Crest/Rock Glen: Prairie Planning in Iowa". The thoroughness of that research resulted in many correspondences from other architectural historians from across the United States and Australia. Bob then made major contributions to the restoration of the Stockman House and the Park Inn Hotel. The newly restored Stockman House was opened to the public in 1992, and Bob was the Grand Marshall of the North Iowa Band Festival Parade that year. He continued working tirelessly for the restoration of the Park Inn Hotel and establishment of the architectural Interpretive Center adjacent to the Stockman House, which now bears his name.

In addition to his orthopedic practice and his love of Prairie School architecture, Bob loved to spend time with his family and to travel. The family was able to take a vacation in South Hero, Vermont with extended family members every summer. Bonnie was his partner in all of their many adventures and travels throughout their 58 years of marriage.

Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife Bonnie. He is survived by sons Jamie (Diane), Doug (Sue) and Andy (Julie) and nine grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held at the First Presbyterian Church on October 30th at 11:00 am. To ensure that all attendees feel safe, the family requests that masks be worn. A live stream will be available. For more information go to the church's website.

In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to be given to the River City Society for Historic Preservation, or the First Presbyterian Church.