Cobb, Jim 1920-2009

COBB, AHRENDSEN, VOS

Posted By: Ernie Braida (email)
Date: 1/12/2010 at 19:32:12

Mr. Cobb was born September 15, 1920 in Correctionville, Iowa, the oldest of three children of Forrest and Kate (Ahrendsen) Cobb.

He moved with his parents to Lake City, Iowa in March, 1927, and graduated from high school there in 1938. He graduated from Iowa State College in 1943 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, and was commissioned in the U.S. Naval Reserve following training at Columbia University, New York, in October, 1943.

Lieutenant (junior grade) Cobb served in the 128th Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees) on Guadalcanal, Saipan, and Guam during World War II. His battalion withstood fierce Japanese kamikaze attacks to construct and maintain the pontoon causeways that sustained the First and Sixth Marine Divisions throughout the Battle of Okinawa. At war’s end, Lieutenant Cobb and the remainder of his battalion deployed with the III Marine Amphibious Corps to Tientsin, China where U.S forces accepted the surrender and repatriation of 630,000 Japanese troops and civilians. He was honorably discharged from active service on July 4th, 1946, and subsequently promoted to full Lieutenant in the Naval Reserve.

Mr. Cobb held positions with various consulting engineering firms until 1957, then served on the executive staffs of Associated General Contractors of Iowa and the Asphalt Paving Association of Iowa until 1971. He retired from the Iowa Department of Transportation in 1986.

He married Leona Vos of Pella, Iowa on July 14, 1962. They lived in Indianola and Ames before moving to Gilbert in 1973.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Roland Cobb, and sister Carole Gibson.

He is survived by his wife Leona, sons James R. and Curtis A., daughter Christine E. Pfohl (Daniel), grandsons James C. Cobb and Nathan J. Pfohl, granddaughters Jessica Pfohl and Andrea Marino (Sam), and great grandchildren Mary and Jack Marino.

Mr. Cobb was a 50-year member of Arcadia Lodge No. 249 and the York Rite Bodies, Ames, Iowa, and Grace United Methodist Church, Story City, Iowa.

Died February 17, 2009

Interment: Oakwood Cemetery

Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home