Romala "Romie" (Robinson) Orr (1928-2016)
ORR, ROBINSON, ARNOTE, DAVIS, BOYLAN, MONTGOMERY, HILL, RIEDEL
Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/6/2016 at 19:44:47
Obituary From Adams Soderstrum Funeral Home, Story County, Iowa.
Romie Orr passed away peacefully on July 9, 2016, at Taylor Hospice House in Des Moines, Iowa. She was 87.
Romala (Romie) Robinson was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 23, 1928, the oldest child of John F. Robinson and Averil Arnote Robinson. She graduated from Northeast High School and attended Beloit College in Wisconsin, where she met her future husband. She graduated from the University of Missouri at Columbia in 1949, and married the love of her life, John Orr, on June 18, 1949. While Johnny pursued his dream of becoming a basketball coach, they lived in several cities. She taught physical education in Milton, Wisconsin, and Dubuque, Iowa, until they started their family. Daughters Jenny, Robin and Leslie were born in Dubuque. Their next move was to Madison, Wisconsin, where daughter Becky was born. Johnny’s first head coaching job took them to Amherst, MA, where she substitute taught. When Johnny was hired at the University of Michigan, she taught full time Junior High Physical Education for 13 years in Ann Arbor, at Forsythe, Scarlett, and Tappan Junior Highs. She held the Romie Orr Girls All Sports Camps in the summers. Romie was very active in Michigan basketball and Michigan’s biggest fan as she traveled with the team to Egypt and Europe and many NCAA basketball tournaments.
In 1980, she and Johnny moved to Ames, Iowa. She was thrilled to be in Ames, closer to her mother and her Kansas City roots. The Iowa State Cyclones became her favorite team and she visited all the Big 8 campuses when ISU played away games. Aside from being a basketball coach's wife, she was active in P.E.O, becoming President of Chapter HN. She served on the Board of Directors at the Octagon Center for the Arts. Romie was a member of Faculty Women’s Club, Quester’s, Embroiderer’s Guild, various sewing groups and rug hooking guilds and the United Church of Christ, first in Ames, then in Ankeny. She became a teacher of traditional rug hooking. She had her own business, Romie’s Heritage Rugs, and dyed wool and made kits for her students. She taught rug hooking classes at the Octagon in Ames and at Living History Farms in Des Moines. Romie also taught Rug Hooking at camps in Decorah, Iowa, and West Virginia.
In 2002, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. She and Johnny became active in the fight against Alzheimer’s and opened the Orr Center for Healthy Aging & Memory Loss. She went to Washington, DC, to speak at a Senate Hearing about funding for Alzheimer’s research.
Romie enjoyed her winters in their beautiful homes in Savannah, Georgia, and later in Estero, Florida. She also kept beautiful homes in West Des Moines and at the Harvester Golf Course in Iowa. Her most recent residence was Vintage Hills at Prairie Trail in Ankeny, Iowa, where she lived in assisted living and memory care.
She and Johnny shared a love of people and entertaining. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Romie is survived by her daughters, Jenny Davis (John), of Lemont, IL, Leslie Boylan (Craig) of Ames, Iowa, and Becky Montgomery, of Ankeny, Iowa; and one nephew, Scott Robinson of Missouri. She was preceded in death by daughter, Robin (Sam Hill), in 2010; and her husband, Johnny, in 2013; her father in 1976; her brother, John Robinson in 1989; and her mother in 1994.
Grandchildren and great-grandchildren are Susan Davis Riedel (Ron) of Lockport, IL, and their children Dan and Angie; John Henry (Sarah) Boylan of Iowa City, Iowa, and their daughter, Emilia; Rachel Boylan of Ames, Iowa; and Jamie Montgomery and Lex Montgomery of Ankeny, Iowa.
The wonderful support and love from family and friends brought smiles every day to Romie's life. Our family thanks each and every one of you.
Burial will be in the Iowa State University Cemetery in Ames.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Iowa Chapter 1730, 28th Street, West Des Moines, IA 50266.
Memorial Service
JUL 14. 11:00 AM
Ankeny UCC
602 SE Delaware
Ankeny, IA, US, 50023
http://www.adamssoderstrum.com/
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