Robert “Bob” Nowicki
NOWICKI, TOBIN, ROMAN, RINEY, HOLYZ, LUOMA, MUEMPFER
Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 7/12/2023 at 11:44:37
On June 22, 2023, Robert “Bob” Nowicki of Coralville, Iowa passed away peacefully holding his wife’s hand while surrounded by family after a long battle with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
Bob was the baby of his family, born July 8th, 1952, in Chicago, Illinois to Walter and Helen (Tobin) Nowicki. Bob grew up in Chicago with two older brothers and one older sister where he learned to appreciate and love all things that moved fast. He enjoyed learning about and fixing muscle cars while also racing them, he spent time watching airplanes and fighter jet air shows, while also turning his eyes to the amazement and wonder of technology in NASA’s space program. Bob attended Brother Rice High School and graduated in 1970. He studied at Richard J. Daley College. Bob began working with Johnson and Johnson, in Chicago, in 1972.
In 1971, Bob met Roxane (Roman) and they knew immediately that they were each other’s soulmates. They were married on August 31, 1974. Bob and Roxane loved to share amazing stories and beautiful photos of their love to their children; including wedding photos of powder blue tuxedos and bridesmaid dresses, which according to Bob, were the highlight of fashion at that time. Bob and Roxane moved to Tinley Park in 1975. Their first daughter, Danielle, was born in 1983. Later that year, Bob transitioned to working at Cracker Jack. In 1985, he joined H.P. Smith which became International Paper and is now known as Loparex, LLC. Bob and Roxane’s second daughter, Jen, was born in 1987. And in 1990, their youngest daughter, Kaitlin was born. Bob’s career relocated the family to Coralville, Iowa in 1994. In 1999, Bob graduated from Kirkwood Community College with his Associate's degree. He later earned his Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) licensure and retired from Loparex, LLC in 2019.
Bob was a devoted and amazing family man. As a father of all girls, he allowed the girls to give him hairstyles - including the Mike Ditka, he knew all the Disney movies and songs, and knew how to give the best hugs when one of them needed it. He attended many, if not all, of his daughters' basketball, volleyball, and softball games and loved to play pickup games in the driveway. He was the go-to mechanic and fix-it man for his family; always demonstrating and detailing his work so that his daughters, and later his sons-in-law, would know what to do. He had an everlasting love for his Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks, and Bulls and loved to cheer on the Iowa Hawkeyes. He was proud of his John Deere Tractor and mowing baseball field-quality lines into his yard. Bob loved to watch the sunsets in Iowa, remarking like the movie Field of Dreams, “Is this Heaven? No, it’s Iowa.”
He is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Roxane; children, Danielle (Seth) Riney of Coralville, Jen (Chace) Holtz of Solon, and Kaitlin (John) Luoma of North Liberty; grandchildren: Ellison and Alexander Riney; Jack Robert and Avery Holtz; Kinley and Kylar Luoma, his sister: Noreen (John “Mick”) Muempfer; as well as beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.
A celebration of his life will be held at Lensing Oak Hill Funeral Home (210 Holiday Road, Coralville, Iowa 52241) on Thursday, June 29th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Friday, June 30th, a memorial mass will take place at St. Thomas More Catholic Church (3000 12th Ave, Coralville, IA 52241) at 11 a.m. with an Irish luncheon to follow at Brown Deer Golf Club (1900 Country Club Drive Coralville, IA 52241).
The family would like to thank the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, specifically the Hepatology Department and Dr. Alan Gunderson, Iowa City Hospice, and The Bird House - Hospice Home of Johnson County. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Iowa City Hospice and The Bird House - Hospice Home of Johnson County.
And finally, an Irish Blessing: “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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