Robert Wendell “Bob” McEldowney

A graveside service for Robert “Bob” McEldowney will be held at 2:00 p.m. on October 10, 2014 in Oak Hill Cemetery with Rev. Larry Baldridge officiating. A visitation at 1:00 p.m. at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence will be held prior to the service.

Mr. McEldowney died on Monday, October 6 at Windsor Place in Lawrence. He was born December 18, 1915 in La Crosse, Wisconsin to Wendell and Orma McEldowney.

He spent his early life in Wisconsin, attending public schools there and then the La Crosse State Teachers College as well as Wisconsin Business University in La Crosse where he graduated in 1936. He was a member of the Phi Theta Chi fraternity. He held accounting positions in lumber manufacturing, a power company and later with a food canning plant. He was a Veteran of World War II, a personnel officer with the Army Air Force serving for 4 ½ years.

He married Phyllis Harlan on January 20, 1943 in Cambridge, Kansas. They moved to Lawrence Kansas where he was chief accountant for Cooperative Farm Chemicals, Farmland Industries’ nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing division in Lawrence from 1954 until he retired in 1982. He also served as Treasurer of the CFCA Credit Union for 26 years. He was a long-time member of the First Presbyterian Church and more recently Lawrence Free Methodist Church.

Music was of great interest to him, earlier as a trumpet player, Barbershop Quartet singer, and more recently on electronic organ where he gave instruction. He was an avid tennis player promoting the sport locally. He was a member of the Alvamar Tennis Club and enjoyed playing tennis until the age of 90.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis, brother, Winton McEldowney and sister, Ardith Bahr. Survivors include two daughters, Barbara McEldowney, Lawrence, Jane (Aaron) Dirks, Overland Park, son Timothy (Carol) McEldowney, Overland Park and a sister Sue Settle, Schenectady, New York, as well as eight grandchildren, Stephanie (James) Gregg, Chris Dirks, Laura (Nate) Rayburn, Andrew (Jennie) Dirks, Ryan McEldowney, Hannah McEldowney, Katie Dirks, Patrick McEldowney, and three great grandchildren, Alexis Edmunds, Jack Gregg, and Gabe Dirks.

Friends may call from 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm October 10 at the Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence where the family will receive friends.