John Robert "Bob" Warren, 84, of Ottumwa, died at 7:24am February 21, 2022 at his home. Bob was born on January 6, 1938, in Centerville, Iowa, to Robert and Mabel Warren. Bob married Patricia "Pat" Test on November 8, 1986. Before marrying Pat, Bob was married to Joyce Kramer, née McConville, from 1960 to 1985.
A 1956 graduate of Centerville, Iowa, High School, Bob earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in 1960. He was a graduate teaching assistant and assistant track coach in 1960-61 at the University of Iowa. He then took a position as a teacher and coach in 1961-62 at Lake City, Iowa, High School before joining the teaching staff of Ottumwa High School in 1962. He taught social studies, primarily Western Civilization, for OHS for thirty-six years before retiring from teaching in 1999. Bob was an Ottumwa school board member for several years after retirement. When Bob was offered a teaching job at OHS in 1962, he also became head cross country coach as well as assistant basketball and track coach. He revitalized the cross country program over the next two decades. OHS finished in the top ten at the state cross country meet several times, including a sixth-place finish in 1967. He retired from cross country coaching after thirty years in 1992. During his nine years as assistant basketball coach, including two years with Bill Christensen and seven with Bill Kramer, OHS had several excellent teams and finished runner-up at state in 1971. After serving for nine years as assistant track coach, Bob took the head track coach position in 1971. Over the course of his head track coaching career from 1971 to 1988, OHS won a relay event at the Drake Relays in 1988 and garnered several top finishes. OHS also had several first-place state meet individual and relay finishes. The 1975 team finished second at the state meet. Bob was inducted into the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1987, he was selected as honorary high school referee for the Drake Relays. He also assisted the OHS girls' track team in 1991 and 1992. His children vividly recall that almost everyone in Ottumwa seemed to know Coach Warren. People appreciated his athleticism and coaching skills, but also found him to be engaging and funny. Bob's greatest love was track and field competition. After a high school career in which he was a three-sport star at Centerville High School, including victories in the long jump at the state meet as a sophomore and at the Drake Relays as a junior, he won a track and field scholarship at the University of Iowa. He was a three-year letterman there, competing in sprints, relays, and the long jump. He was proudest of his third-place finish in the Decathlon at the Kansas Relays in 1957. After finishing his college track career in 1960, Bob continued to compete in track and field competitions across the United States. From the early 1960s until 2008, he held U.S. national best marks in a variety of events for his age group. He continued throwing weight implements in competitions even after he had both hip joints replaced in the 1990s. In 2008, he secured his one thousandth victory in track and field competitions. On almost any given day when the weather would allow it for over four decades, you could find Bob Warren running, jumping, or throwing at Evans Junior High School. Bob was a kind and moral person who loved his family, loved Hawkeye sports and the Olympics, enjoyed working with students in the classroom and on athletic fields, and had a flare for storytelling which would leave his listeners laughing. He will be missed.
Surviving Bob are five children, Wilson "Bill" Warren of Kalamazoo, MI, John Warren of Mission, TX, Brian Warren of Edinburg, TX, Anne Kurth of Bettendorf, IA, and Mark Warren of Waterloo, IA; 15 grandchildren; and 5 great-grandchildren.
Bob was preceded in death by Pat and two step-daughters, Susan Zbleski-Vawter and Sheri Zbleski.
His body has been cremated. Services are planned for later in the spring with an announcement forthcoming. Private inurnment will be in Shaul Cemetery. Reece Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Published on February 25, 2022 Ottumwa Courier
A 1956 graduate of Centerville, Iowa, High School, Bob earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in 1960. He was a graduate teaching assistant and assistant track coach in 1960-61 at the University of Iowa. He then took a position as a teacher and coach in 1961-62 at Lake City, Iowa, High School before joining the teaching staff of Ottumwa High School in 1962. He taught social studies, primarily Western Civilization, for OHS for thirty-six years before retiring from teaching in 1999. Bob was an Ottumwa school board member for several years after retirement. When Bob was offered a teaching job at OHS in 1962, he also became head cross country coach as well as assistant basketball and track coach. He revitalized the cross country program over the next two decades. OHS finished in the top ten at the state cross country meet several times, including a sixth-place finish in 1967. He retired from cross country coaching after thirty years in 1992. During his nine years as assistant basketball coach, including two years with Bill Christensen and seven with Bill Kramer, OHS had several excellent teams and finished runner-up at state in 1971. After serving for nine years as assistant track coach, Bob took the head track coach position in 1971. Over the course of his head track coaching career from 1971 to 1988, OHS won a relay event at the Drake Relays in 1988 and garnered several top finishes. OHS also had several first-place state meet individual and relay finishes. The 1975 team finished second at the state meet. Bob was inducted into the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1987, he was selected as honorary high school referee for the Drake Relays. He also assisted the OHS girls' track team in 1991 and 1992. His children vividly recall that almost everyone in Ottumwa seemed to know Coach Warren. People appreciated his athleticism and coaching skills, but also found him to be engaging and funny. Bob's greatest love was track and field competition. After a high school career in which he was a three-sport star at Centerville High School, including victories in the long jump at the state meet as a sophomore and at the Drake Relays as a junior, he won a track and field scholarship at the University of Iowa. He was a three-year letterman there, competing in sprints, relays, and the long jump. He was proudest of his third-place finish in the Decathlon at the Kansas Relays in 1957. After finishing his college track career in 1960, Bob continued to compete in track and field competitions across the United States. From the early 1960s until 2008, he held U.S. national best marks in a variety of events for his age group. He continued throwing weight implements in competitions even after he had both hip joints replaced in the 1990s. In 2008, he secured his one thousandth victory in track and field competitions. On almost any given day when the weather would allow it for over four decades, you could find Bob Warren running, jumping, or throwing at Evans Junior High School. Bob was a kind and moral person who loved his family, loved Hawkeye sports and the Olympics, enjoyed working with students in the classroom and on athletic fields, and had a flare for storytelling which would leave his listeners laughing. He will be missed.
Surviving Bob are five children, Wilson "Bill" Warren of Kalamazoo, MI, John Warren of Mission, TX, Brian Warren of Edinburg, TX, Anne Kurth of Bettendorf, IA, and Mark Warren of Waterloo, IA; 15 grandchildren; and 5 great-grandchildren.
Bob was preceded in death by Pat and two step-daughters, Susan Zbleski-Vawter and Sheri Zbleski.
His body has been cremated. Services are planned for later in the spring with an announcement forthcoming. Private inurnment will be in Shaul Cemetery. Reece Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Published on February 25, 2022 Ottumwa Courier
John Robert "Bob" Warren, 84, of Ottumwa, died at 7:24am February 21, 2022 at his home. Bob was born on January 6, 1938, in Centerville, Iowa, to Robert and Mabel Warren. Bob married Patricia "Pat" Test on November 8, 1986. Before marrying Pat, Bob was married to Joyce Kramer, née McConville, from 1960 to 1985.
A 1956 graduate of Centerville, Iowa, High School, Bob earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in 1960. He was a graduate teaching assistant and assistant track coach in 1960-61 at the University of Iowa. He then took a position as a teacher and coach in 1961-62 at Lake City, Iowa, High School before joining the teaching staff of Ottumwa High School in 1962. He taught social studies, primarily Western Civilization, for OHS for thirty-six years before retiring from teaching in 1999. Bob was an Ottumwa school board member for several years after retirement. When Bob was offered a teaching job at OHS in 1962, he also became head cross country coach as well as assistant basketball and track coach. He revitalized the cross country program over the next two decades. OHS finished in the top ten at the state cross country meet several times, including a sixth-place finish in 1967. He retired from cross country coaching after thirty years in 1992. During his nine years as assistant basketball coach, including two years with Bill Christensen and seven with Bill Kramer, OHS had several excellent teams and finished runner-up at state in 1971. After serving for nine years as assistant track coach, Bob took the head track coach position in 1971. Over the course of his head track coaching career from 1971 to 1988, OHS won a relay event at the Drake Relays in 1988 and garnered several top finishes. OHS also had several first-place state meet individual and relay finishes. The 1975 team finished second at the state meet. Bob was inducted into the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1987, he was selected as honorary high school referee for the Drake Relays. He also assisted the OHS girls' track team in 1991 and 1992. His children vividly recall that almost everyone in Ottumwa seemed to know Coach Warren. People appreciated his athleticism and coaching skills, but also found him to be engaging and funny. Bob's greatest love was track and field competition. After a high school career in which he was a three-sport star at Centerville High School, including victories in the long jump at the state meet as a sophomore and at the Drake Relays as a junior, he won a track and field scholarship at the University of Iowa. He was a three-year letterman there, competing in sprints, relays, and the long jump. He was proudest of his third-place finish in the Decathlon at the Kansas Relays in 1957. After finishing his college track career in 1960, Bob continued to compete in track and field competitions across the United States. From the early 1960s until 2008, he held U.S. national best marks in a variety of events for his age group. He continued throwing weight implements in competitions even after he had both hip joints replaced in the 1990s. In 2008, he secured his one thousandth victory in track and field competitions. On almost any given day when the weather would allow it for over four decades, you could find Bob Warren running, jumping, or throwing at Evans Junior High School. Bob was a kind and moral person who loved his family, loved Hawkeye sports and the Olympics, enjoyed working with students in the classroom and on athletic fields, and had a flare for storytelling which would leave his listeners laughing. He will be missed.
Surviving Bob are five children, Wilson "Bill" Warren of Kalamazoo, MI, John Warren of Mission, TX, Brian Warren of Edinburg, TX, Anne Kurth of Bettendorf, IA, and Mark Warren of Waterloo, IA; 15 grandchildren; and 5 great-grandchildren.
Bob was preceded in death by Pat and two step-daughters, Susan Zbleski-Vawter and Sheri Zbleski.
His body has been cremated. Services are planned for later in the spring with an announcement forthcoming. Private inurnment will be in Shaul Cemetery. Reece Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Published on February 25, 2022 Ottumwa Courier
A 1956 graduate of Centerville, Iowa, High School, Bob earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in 1960. He was a graduate teaching assistant and assistant track coach in 1960-61 at the University of Iowa. He then took a position as a teacher and coach in 1961-62 at Lake City, Iowa, High School before joining the teaching staff of Ottumwa High School in 1962. He taught social studies, primarily Western Civilization, for OHS for thirty-six years before retiring from teaching in 1999. Bob was an Ottumwa school board member for several years after retirement. When Bob was offered a teaching job at OHS in 1962, he also became head cross country coach as well as assistant basketball and track coach. He revitalized the cross country program over the next two decades. OHS finished in the top ten at the state cross country meet several times, including a sixth-place finish in 1967. He retired from cross country coaching after thirty years in 1992. During his nine years as assistant basketball coach, including two years with Bill Christensen and seven with Bill Kramer, OHS had several excellent teams and finished runner-up at state in 1971. After serving for nine years as assistant track coach, Bob took the head track coach position in 1971. Over the course of his head track coaching career from 1971 to 1988, OHS won a relay event at the Drake Relays in 1988 and garnered several top finishes. OHS also had several first-place state meet individual and relay finishes. The 1975 team finished second at the state meet. Bob was inducted into the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1987, he was selected as honorary high school referee for the Drake Relays. He also assisted the OHS girls' track team in 1991 and 1992. His children vividly recall that almost everyone in Ottumwa seemed to know Coach Warren. People appreciated his athleticism and coaching skills, but also found him to be engaging and funny. Bob's greatest love was track and field competition. After a high school career in which he was a three-sport star at Centerville High School, including victories in the long jump at the state meet as a sophomore and at the Drake Relays as a junior, he won a track and field scholarship at the University of Iowa. He was a three-year letterman there, competing in sprints, relays, and the long jump. He was proudest of his third-place finish in the Decathlon at the Kansas Relays in 1957. After finishing his college track career in 1960, Bob continued to compete in track and field competitions across the United States. From the early 1960s until 2008, he held U.S. national best marks in a variety of events for his age group. He continued throwing weight implements in competitions even after he had both hip joints replaced in the 1990s. In 2008, he secured his one thousandth victory in track and field competitions. On almost any given day when the weather would allow it for over four decades, you could find Bob Warren running, jumping, or throwing at Evans Junior High School. Bob was a kind and moral person who loved his family, loved Hawkeye sports and the Olympics, enjoyed working with students in the classroom and on athletic fields, and had a flare for storytelling which would leave his listeners laughing. He will be missed.
Surviving Bob are five children, Wilson "Bill" Warren of Kalamazoo, MI, John Warren of Mission, TX, Brian Warren of Edinburg, TX, Anne Kurth of Bettendorf, IA, and Mark Warren of Waterloo, IA; 15 grandchildren; and 5 great-grandchildren.
Bob was preceded in death by Pat and two step-daughters, Susan Zbleski-Vawter and Sheri Zbleski.
His body has been cremated. Services are planned for later in the spring with an announcement forthcoming. Private inurnment will be in Shaul Cemetery. Reece Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Published on February 25, 2022 Ottumwa Courier
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