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In Memory of
Robert P
Gooch
Gooch
1940 - 2016
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Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory
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Obituary for Robert P Gooch
Robert Paul (Bob) Gooch, 75, was called home to heaven on Thursday, June 16, 2016 at Mercy Medical Center in Dubuque surrounded by his loving family. A service to celebrate his life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 27, 2016 at St. John's Episcopal Church, Dubuque. His family will receive friends at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service.
Bob was born on December 18, 1940, in Burlington, Iowa, the son of Lester and Edith Gooch. He had three older sisters, Meg, Helen and Georgie, and one younger brother, Gary. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1958. In 1962 he received his Bachelor's degree from Vennard College in University Park, Iowa. He graduated and was ordained by the Salvation Army Officer's Seminary in Chicago in 1964. He was the father of David B. Gooch of Bemidji, Minnesota and Paul A. Gooch of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. He married Barbara Ann O'Meara in 1976 and a daughter, Kristin M. Moser of Cedar Falls, Iowa, was later born to them. He said before his passing “God blessed me with the greatest and best family there ever was!”
Bob was the Director of the Dubuque Salvation Army Corps for ten years, starting many new programs and, with the help of many Dubuquers, building the present Salvation Army headquarters. He then became the Emergency Management Director for the city and the county of Dubuque where he had a hand with many initiatives including improved storm coverage, communication systems, E911, and the Dubuque County Rescue Squad. He retired from this vocation in 1999.
Bob was involved in many community programs. He served on an advisory panel to Dubuque County Social Services, was President of the Downtown Kiwanis Club, President of the Dubuque County Chapter of the American Heart Association, was a member and past treasurer of the Key City Coin Club, a member and chairman of the Dubuque Salvation Army advisory board, and district chairman of the Dubuque District of the Boy Scouts of America. He served on the Executive Board of the NE Iowa BSA and received the Silver Beaver Award in 1991. He was very active at St. John's Episcopal Church of Dubuque. There he served three terms on St. John's vestry and was active in prison, music and preaching ministries. He served as vice-chairman and board member of the SE Iowa Emergency Medical Services Council and President of the Iowa Emergency Management Director's Association. He received the first annual Iowa EMS Award presented by Governor Terry Branstad in 1987. He was named volunteer of the year by the Iowa Special Olympics in 1992. In 2013, along with his wife Barb, he was awarded the Dubuque County EMS Star of Life award.
He is survived by his dear wife Barbara of Dubuque; a daughter Kristin (Greg) Moser; sons David (Amber) Gooch and Paul (Diane) Gooch; five grandchildren; a brother Gary (Cindy) Gooch; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Colonel Mabel (Gooch) Cedervall, Helen (Gooch) Lee and Georgiana (Gooch) Canterbury; a brother-in-law Leroy Canterbury; and a niece Gigi (Canterbury) Riley.
Bob loved God, his family, his church, fishing, camping and God's creation...this beautiful world. He would leave us this message: “Love God, be faithful, serve him, and I'll see you again just a little further down the road. I love you all! So long for now.”
In lieu of flowers a Robert Gooch Memorial Fund has been established.
For more information or to leave an online condolence please visit www.egelhofsiegertcasper.com.
A special thank you to Dr. Ronald Iverson, Dr. Jill Powers, Dr. Robert Magnus, Dr. Poorani Sekar, Dr. Nicole Jedlicka, Dr. John Whalen, Dr. David Ringold, Dr. Alexander Chung, and Dr. Mark Janes; Dubuque Fire and EMS; Mercy Emergency Room; Mercy ICU, especially Bonnie, Janis and Carol; Mercy surgical services; Mercy chaplain services; the clergy of St. John's; the staff at Stonehill Care Center; and many family and friends.
Bob was born on December 18, 1940, in Burlington, Iowa, the son of Lester and Edith Gooch. He had three older sisters, Meg, Helen and Georgie, and one younger brother, Gary. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1958. In 1962 he received his Bachelor's degree from Vennard College in University Park, Iowa. He graduated and was ordained by the Salvation Army Officer's Seminary in Chicago in 1964. He was the father of David B. Gooch of Bemidji, Minnesota and Paul A. Gooch of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. He married Barbara Ann O'Meara in 1976 and a daughter, Kristin M. Moser of Cedar Falls, Iowa, was later born to them. He said before his passing “God blessed me with the greatest and best family there ever was!”
Bob was the Director of the Dubuque Salvation Army Corps for ten years, starting many new programs and, with the help of many Dubuquers, building the present Salvation Army headquarters. He then became the Emergency Management Director for the city and the county of Dubuque where he had a hand with many initiatives including improved storm coverage, communication systems, E911, and the Dubuque County Rescue Squad. He retired from this vocation in 1999.
Bob was involved in many community programs. He served on an advisory panel to Dubuque County Social Services, was President of the Downtown Kiwanis Club, President of the Dubuque County Chapter of the American Heart Association, was a member and past treasurer of the Key City Coin Club, a member and chairman of the Dubuque Salvation Army advisory board, and district chairman of the Dubuque District of the Boy Scouts of America. He served on the Executive Board of the NE Iowa BSA and received the Silver Beaver Award in 1991. He was very active at St. John's Episcopal Church of Dubuque. There he served three terms on St. John's vestry and was active in prison, music and preaching ministries. He served as vice-chairman and board member of the SE Iowa Emergency Medical Services Council and President of the Iowa Emergency Management Director's Association. He received the first annual Iowa EMS Award presented by Governor Terry Branstad in 1987. He was named volunteer of the year by the Iowa Special Olympics in 1992. In 2013, along with his wife Barb, he was awarded the Dubuque County EMS Star of Life award.
He is survived by his dear wife Barbara of Dubuque; a daughter Kristin (Greg) Moser; sons David (Amber) Gooch and Paul (Diane) Gooch; five grandchildren; a brother Gary (Cindy) Gooch; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Colonel Mabel (Gooch) Cedervall, Helen (Gooch) Lee and Georgiana (Gooch) Canterbury; a brother-in-law Leroy Canterbury; and a niece Gigi (Canterbury) Riley.
Bob loved God, his family, his church, fishing, camping and God's creation...this beautiful world. He would leave us this message: “Love God, be faithful, serve him, and I'll see you again just a little further down the road. I love you all! So long for now.”
In lieu of flowers a Robert Gooch Memorial Fund has been established.
For more information or to leave an online condolence please visit www.egelhofsiegertcasper.com.
A special thank you to Dr. Ronald Iverson, Dr. Jill Powers, Dr. Robert Magnus, Dr. Poorani Sekar, Dr. Nicole Jedlicka, Dr. John Whalen, Dr. David Ringold, Dr. Alexander Chung, and Dr. Mark Janes; Dubuque Fire and EMS; Mercy Emergency Room; Mercy ICU, especially Bonnie, Janis and Carol; Mercy surgical services; Mercy chaplain services; the clergy of St. John's; the staff at Stonehill Care Center; and many family and friends.
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