Robert Engwall

Robert (Bob) Engwall

1937 - 2024

Robert (Bob) Engwall died of pancreatic cancer on November 15, 2024, at the home of Mark and Yvonne Engwall in Geneva, Florida. He was born in Fairfield, Iowa to Gilbert C. Engwall and Esther C. Engwall. Bob and his brother Paul grew up on the family farm east of Fairfield. His grandfather, Frank O. Engwall, had settled on this farm after coming to America from Sweden as a young man.

Bob graduated from Fairfield High School where he played football and drove one of the school bus routes. After high school, he attended Iowa State University and studied agricultural engineering. Before completing his degree, Bob joined the US Air Force and was stationed in Iceland for one year and then a second year at Offutt Air Force Base (home of the US Strategic Command) near Omaha, NE. Upon returning to the US from Iceland, Bob married Joanne (Jo) Evert, whom he had met while at Iowa State.

After his year in Omaha, Bob left the Air Force and returned with Joanne to Iowa State University where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in animal science. He then joined the sales team of a large, privately owned manufacturing company, which made and sold feed and other nutritional products for farm livestock. Bob had a long, successful career there, reaching the level of State Manager while in Alabama. However, his real satisfaction was in working directly with the farmers, so he left management to go back to being a front-line salesman where he could help his customers and enjoy visiting the farmers and teaching them about animal nutrition. His pursuit of this career took him to Osceola, IA, Hubbard, IA, Quincy, IL, Bowling Green, KY, Cullman, AL, Montgomery, AL and finally Gainesville, FL, arriving there in 1977. He lived the rest of his life in Gainesville and became a Gator fan along the way.

Bob was a devoted father to Mark, Erica and Neal. He faithfully took them to church, taught them to pray and gave them a solid foundation in their Christian faith. This faith has been passed down two more generations, and his two-year-old great grandson Lukas recently explained, after Bob's passing, that "Great Grandpa Bob is with Jesus." Bob was a founding member of Abiding Savior Lutheran Church and helped with its construction. He was quietly generous and gave his time by mowing the church grounds and making furniture for the preschool. He also built bookshelves for the Gainesville Friends of the Library where he volunteered alongside Joanne. He was active in the Cattleman's Association and loved to judge cattle for the 4H contestants. He gave over twelve gallons of blood to Civitan Regional Blood Center in Gainesville, now known as LifeSouth Community Blood Center.

After he retired, Bob and Joanne took several cruises to destinations such as Alaska, Cancun, Central America and the Caribbean islands. He also loved bass fishing, golf, and watching all kinds of college sports, especially the Gators. Until recently, Bob seldom missed morning coffee with his buddies at Brown's Country Buffet in Alachua.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife Joanne (Jo), his grandson Austin, his parents Gilbert and Esther and his brother Paul (Nancy). He is survived by his children Mark (Yvonne), Erica and Neal (Carol), his seven grandchildren Sarah, Kyle (Kalyn), Collin (Nadia), Benjamin, Joseph, Hannah and Esther, and his five great grandchildren Ava, Levi, Lukas, Abigail and Lillian Jo.

Bob expressed a desire to support Lutheran education.

If you wish to give a memorial gift, here are 3 LCMS options:

Abiding Savior Lutheran Church Preschool (Bob's home church for more than 20 years)

9700 W Newberry Road

Gainesville FL 32606

352-331-4409

https://abidingsavior.info/overview

Mount Hope Lutheran School K-12 (where Bob's granddaughter, Hannah, is a teacher)

2300 Hickory St

Casper WY 82604

307-234-8428

https://mounthopecasper.com/school/

Luther Classical College

2300 Hickory St

Casper WY 82604

A Lutheran college opening in fall of 2025

https://www.lutherclassical.org/