Randolfe Bandow

Randolfe Alvin Bandow (Randy) passed away August 11, 2025. He was born June 15, 1947, in Manilla, Iowa, to Sylvia (McClatchey) and Alvin Bandow. He was the oldest son in his family and attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse outside Sac City, IA, for a short time. He moved with his family and attended the first three years of high school in Manilla, when his father was transferred to Farmland Foods in Iowa Falls, IA. He then attended his senior year at Iowa Falls High School, graduating in 1965. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the age of 17 and was trained as an airborne sonar technician, assigned to Helicopter Squadron 6 (HS-6) at San Diego, California. In addition to sonar detection, his squadron conducted search and rescue missions in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Viet Nam war where he was awarded medals including a Bronze Star, the Navy Commendation with a V, and the Air Medal. He served on different aircraft carriers, including but not limited to the USS Ranger, and the USS Kearsarge; he was also in the task force that moved into North Korean waters when the USS Pueblo was captured. He was honorably discharged in June 1968 and started working for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company (NWB) in Ames, IA, the following month. He met his wife, Diane, at his cousin's wedding in Early, IA, in June of 1969, and they were married on January 10, 1970, also in Early. He worked in different capacities and assignments with NWB; the family moved around Iowa and lived in multiple towns and cities. Their daughter, Kristi, was born in 1972 in Ames; he was promoted and the family moved to Mason City, IA, in 1974, then to Ankeny, IA, where he was the project manager for a major facility upgrade at Iowa State University. He transferred to Minneapolis, MN, and was the project manager for a similar project at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and other campus locations, and a large trucking firm. When AT&T divested, he transferred to Chicago and then Atlanta, where he continued his work with Lucent Technologies, retiring in 2000. In 2002, he designed his own home and built it with a developer. He then worked for the same development company, designing homes in his free time for a few years after retirement.

He was a member of American Legion Post #307 in Cumming, the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Telephone Pioneers of America, and the Lucent Retirees Organization.

Throughout his life, he planned wonderful vacations. His family enjoyed visits to Hawaii, Florida, and Colorado, and many other places, including the Mediterranean. He loved his family and planning the adventures as much as going on them.

He is survived by his wife of over 55 years, Diane (Scott), his daughter Kristi (Blair) Sailor, and grandchildren Ryan, Andrew, Kasey, and Jake; brother-in-law Dale Scott (Angie) of Sergeant Bluff, IA, and Danelle Essing of Iowa City, IA. He was preceded in death by two daughters, Jennifer and Kelly, his parents, Alvin and Sylvia Bandow, brothers Ronald and his wife Linda of Iowa Falls, IA, and Russell, and sister Roberta, his wife's parents, Frank and Ruth Ann Scott of Early, IA, and his brother-in-law, Randall Essing, as well as numerous aunts and uncles. He was a wonderful brother, husband, father, and grandfather, and is sorely missed.

Services will be held at Deer Creek Shores Presbyterian Church on September 6th, 2025 at 2:00pm with a reception to follow.

A graveside service will also be held at Early Union Cemetery on September 20th, 2025 at 2:00pm in Early, Iowa.

Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Tunnel to Towers Foundation (T2T.org) in memory of Randy Bandow.