John (Jack) Warren Romkey 1930 - 2011

ROMKEY, LORD, OSWALT, GULICK, BOYD

Posted By: Deb (email)
Date: 6/13/2013 at 07:52:25

John (Jack) Warren Romkey, 80, died Thursday, July 21, 2011, in his home at Bickford Cottage, Burlington, Iowa.

Jack was born Aug. 15, 1930, in Burlington to Glenn and Lucille (Lord)
Romkey. He married Willa Oswalt in Galesburg, Ill., in 1954. He married
Mary Lou Gulick Boyd in El Paso, Texas, in 1971.

Left motherless when he was 10 months old, Jack was cared for by his father and maternal grandmother, Myrtle Ingersol Lord, until Glenn married Della Waterhouse in 1935.

Jack's lifelong passion was flying. His father, Glenn, was a pioneer
aviator who flew Jack to Chicago in an open cockpit plane to be baptized when Jack was three weeks old. Jack earned his pilot's license at an early age. He owned and flew a succession of contemporary and vintage airplanes, including a World War II-era Stearman biplane. After earning certification to fly business jets, Jack sometimes piloted Sen. Tom Harkin and Iowa Hawkeyes football coach Hayden Fry around the country.

Jack was a 50-year member of the OX5 club, an organization of pilots who have flown vintage aircraft powered with OX5 engines; the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association; the Antique Aircraft Association; Rotary
International; and the Burlington Country Club.

After attending Wentworth Military and the University of Iowa, Jack served with honor in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper captain, including combat in Korea.

Patriotism was important to Jack all his life. When he was a boy, he
volunteered his pet dog, Duke, a Doberman, to the war effort. Duke served with distinction in the 6th Marine War Dog Platoon, seeing action in Iwo Jima and elsewhere in the Pacific during World War II. Duke was credited with saving the life of his handler, Marine Pfc. Water Marx Jr. After the war, Jack gave Duke to Marx.

Jack was an avid sportsman with a special love for dogs and ducks. In fact, Jack gave up hunting when he decided he could no longer shoot wild game. For many years he kept a houseboat and enjoyed spending time with his friends and family on the Mississippi River. Jack had a quick wit, a great sense of humor, and loved a good joke.

Jack is survived by five children: Mike (Carol) Romkey, Bettendorf, Iowa; Robbin (Brian) Voice, Davenport, Iowa; Kurt (Jody) Romkey, St. Peters, Mo.; Dr. Melissa Boisen, Lawrence, Kan.; Melinda Alexander, College Park, Ga.; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his sister, Joan Lou Romkey, his father, mother and step-mother, and his wife, Mary Lou Romkey.

Funeral services for John (Jack) Warren Romkey will be held on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. at Prugh's Chapel, Burlington, Iowa. Fr. Thomas Janikowski will officiate. Interment will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery. Friends may call at Prugh's on Monday after 8:00 a.m. with the family receiving friends from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Memorials have been established for Great River Hospice and Des Moines County Humane Society.