McCown, Robert 1939-2015

MCCOWN, FREKING

Posted By: Paul Van Dyke--Volunteer
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:34

Source: Find a grave

Born: November 21, 1939
Died: March 31, 2015

Bob was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on November 21, 1939, the only son of Don Cleveland and Frances Anne Freking McCown. He went to grade school in Hawarden, Iowa, and attended Galen High School in Le Mars. He received a B.A. Degree from St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, an M.A. Degree from the University of Iowa and an M.S. Degree in Library Science from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

He taught history at Canterbury School in New Milford, Connecticut, for five years before moving to the University of Iowa Libraries in 1970. He worked for 31 years in the Special Collections Department as the manuscripts librarian and was head of the department from 1986 to 1997, retiring in 2001.

In addition to his regular duties of acquiring and processing collections and then helping researchers to use the manuscripts and the rare books in the department, Bob edited three publications: Books at Iowa, The Manuscript Society News and The Ruth Suckow Newsletter. He also put together a book of essays on the English poet, Leigh Hunt, entitled The Life and Times of Leigh Hunt.

Bob was a member of the advisory committee of the Center for Recent American History, a delegate to the White House Conference on Library and Information Services in 1979, contributor to The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa and a member of the Iowa Historical Records Advisory Board appointed by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad. In 2001, he was the recipient of the Petersen-Harlan Award presented by the State Historical Society of Iowa as a person "who has made significant long-term or continuing contributions to Iowa history."

Bob dearly loved hiking in the mountains in the Southwest with his beloved wife, Judi, reading historical books, eating gourmet meals cooked lovingly by his wife, and especially spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Bob was preceded in death by his son, Mathew Cleveland McCown.