Bobby Fred "Bob" Dow

Bobby "Bob" Fred Dow, age 94 of Collinsville, Illinois, was born on Jan. 15, 1930, in Conway, Arkansas, and passed away on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, at Memorial East Hospital in Shiloh, Illinois.

Bob grew up on a family farm in Faulkner County, Arkansas, where he helped in the family machine shop business. Working in the shop, he learned machine design and machining skills that helped him in his professional life. Farm life in the years of the depression taught him self-sufficiency and thrift. After completing high school in Conway, he enrolled at the Arkansas State Teachers College (now known as the University of Central Arkansas) where he earned his bachelor of science in engineering degree.

Bob proudly served in the Arkansas National Guard and expected to deploy to the Korean War in 1950. In the midst of uncertainty, Bob married Carolyn Bumpers on Dec. 29, 1950; a love and marriage that would endure for 74 years with Carolyn by Bob's side as he passed away.

Bob's first engineering job was with Boeing in Wichita, Kansas, working on the B-52 strategic bomber. In 1956, he went to work for Emerson Electric in Washington Park, Illinois, and worked on defense projects. He later transferred to the Emerson facility in St Louis and worked his way up to quality assurance manager in the Electric Motor Division. As quality assurance manager, he traveled both regionally and internationally conducting quality audits at Emerson Motor plants.

After 40 years with Emerson, he retired to a life of volunteer service, woodworking, canoeing and fly fishing on the Missouri streams. One of his favorite places to fly fish was Rockbridge in Ava, Missouri. As an avid woodworker, he built a woodworking shop which he filled with tools powered by Emerson Motors. Bob organized annual family canoe trips on the Current River that bound the family together with wonderful experiences and endless stories of ozark adventure.

Bob was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church in Collinsville. The church was an integral part of his life as he and Carolyn supported the church in many ways; as Sunday school teachers, church service ushers and occasional building maintenance. Bob also served many years as a Boy Scout leader through the church and impacted many young lives.

Later in life, Bob became a member of the Collinsville Masonic Lodge and served as lodge treasurer for several years.

He was preceded in death by a son, Robert Dow; his parents, Marion Edward and Katie Bell (nee Powers) Dow; a sister, Sarah Mae Fortson; and three brothers, Powers, Raymond and Wainrite Dow.

Surviving is his wife, Carolyn (nee Bumpers) Dow; two sons, David (Marlene) Dow of Columbus, Indiana, and Paul (Kathy) Dow of Wood River, Illinois; a daughter, Carrie Dow of Shiloh, Illinois; daughter-in-law, Nancy Dow (Robert) of Centennial, Colorado; six grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at the First United Methodist Church, 207 West Church St., Collinsville, Illinois.

Funeral service will follow at noon with Rev. Mike Barclay officiating. Private burial will be in Crestlawn Cemetery, Conway, Arkansas.

Memorials are suggested to The Baddour Center in Senatobia, Mississippi, and will be received at the visitation or can be mailed to Barry Wilson Funeral Home, 2800 N. Center St., Maryville, Illinois, 62062.

Condolences may be left for the family at barrywilson funeralhome.com.