- Date Of Birth: August 8, 1944
- Date Of Death: December 25, 2021
- State: Iowa
Robert Lee Vander Wilt was born August 8, 1944, to Gerrit and Harriet (Toom) Vander Wilt, in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Bob’s first job was at Van Zee Implement, working with his brother Arvin. Bob and Arvin enjoyed tinkering, first working on projects at the farm where they lived. Bob was a member of the Iowa Air National Guard, where he received training at Air Craft Mechanic School and learned how to work on plane engines. He then went on to work at Ulrich Motor, before opening his own business, Bob’s Automotive, in 1971. Patrons of the shop could just walk in, and he would drop what he was doing to help them whether they had an appointment or not. He would assess what they really needed to have done and give them an honest and fair price. While the shop was covered in dirt and grease, he knew where everything was and made the place a welcoming stop for many friends and locals to chat and eat peanuts. The shop regulars would affectionally be known as “the Peanut Gallery.” Countless locals have stories about Bob fixing their car on a weekend or holiday so they could get back to college, or keep plans to go out of town. If Bob wasn’t at the shop, he was at Vermeer charging AC units. He enjoyed the work, and getting to talk with all the people he met there.
In his youth, Bob enjoyed drag racing in Eddyville, trap shooting, and snowmobile and dirt bike riding. As he got older, He went from driving fast cars to driving slow tractors in tractor rides, tractor pulls, and never missed a Threshing Bee. He was looking forward to his 25th year as a charter member of the Great Iowa Tractor Ride. This became a family tradition, with his son and grandchildren joining him on the ride. Tractors and gardening were his favorite pastimes, using his tractors to plow large gardens for himself and his family members. Mary and many other family members would spend hours canning and freezing his produce. He would leave the rest of the produce on neighbors’ doorsteps, and he provided local nursing homes with sweet corn every year. His garden was his quiet place.
As a father, there was nothing Bob didn’t know or couldn’t fix. When he said he was going to do something, he would get it done (although not always in a timely fashion). His grandkids were his pride and joy, teaching them how to plant gardens, drive tractors, work on cars and build Legos. He was a quiet observer, and when he spoke, everyone listened. He was someone you could sit with comfortably in silence or in easy conversation. He set a good Christian example for his family, but he also had a playful and mischievous side, loving to tease nieces, nephews and grandkids. There are endless stories of the ornery things he did, but they were always done in good fun. He enjoyed a good surprise, throwing more than one surprise party for Mary.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Mary and their family:
Dean and Carol Vander Wilt
Bradley, Marie, Calleigh, Rachel
Michael Vander Wilt
Andrea and Brandon Vos
Rory, Harlow, Maren
Bob is also survived by his sisters: Marcella Beerends, Eleanor and Vernon Boot; his brothers: Arvin and Carolyn Vander Wilt, and Loren Vander Wilt; brothers-in-law: Alan and Rita Ver Ploeg, Bryan and Deborah Ver Ploeg, and sisters-in-law: Elaine and Don Derringer and Brenda Faro; and many dear nieces and nephews.
Those preceding him in death are his parents Gerrit and Harriet Vander Wilt, parents-in-law Alonzo and Geraldine Ver Ploeg and his brothers-in-law: Andrew Beerends and Tracy Faro.
