3/8/1995
Robert S. Dunlap, 43, died Wednesday, March 8th, 1995 at his home in Des Moines,
Iowa.
He was born in Atwater, California (Castle Air force Base) to Dora Mae and
James W. Dunlap, Jr on August 18th, 1951. He moved to Iowa with his mother and step-father,
Jude Gardner, when he was 5 years old.
He graduated from Knoxville High School in
1969. During high school he was an honor roll student and was elected to the National
Honor Society. He played the clarinet in the school bands. After high school, he
attended the University of Iowa for a short time.
In 1973, he moved from Knoxville
to Des Moines. Robert was a kind and gentle soul with a free spirit. He was welcoming
to new arrivals to this country. He doted over his nieces and nephews; bought them
exceptional gifts like silver spoons and classic books. He traveled often and for
long periods of time. He harbored no ill-will towards anyone. He was invited to
join MENSA but declined
He was a self-taught chef and became an executive chef
at several downtown Des Moines restaurants. He was attentive to his mother. He was
an extraordinary conversationalist. He preferred to be called Robert, but graciously
accepted that his family and old friends would always call him “Bobby.” His favorite
words were panache and enigma. Those words describe Robert perfectly.
He was preceded
in death by his mother, Dora (Ganske) Gardner, his maternal grandparents, Christian
and Alvina (Reichert) Ganske, and his paternal grandparents, James W. ,Sr. and Alice
(Hayes) Dunlap as well as his paternal step-grandmother, Hazel Dunlap
He is survived
by a sister, Cindy Bemis of McDonough, Georgia; two brothers, Daniel Gardner of
Wayland, Iowa and Thomas Gardner of Omaha, Nebraska; one niece (Anne) and 5 nephews
(Aaron, Joseph, Jacob, Joshua, and Benjamin); and his step-father, Jude Gardner
of Omaha, Nebraska.
Robert’s body was cremated and memorial services were held,
March 12th , 1995 at the Thoreau Center in Des Moines. His remains were scattered
in the San Francisco Bay per his wishes .