Bob Sawyer, former resident of Ottumwa, Iowa and Bella Vista, Arkansas died Thursday, May 1, 2025, surrounded by family. A memorial service will be held Friday, May 9, 2025 at 2:30pm at St.Theodore’s Episcopal Church in Bella Vista, Arkansas.
Bobby Gene Sawyer was born in Ft. Worth,Texas on April 30th,1931, to Cecil Ward and Bessie (Allen) Sawyer. The family moved when Bob’s father took a job working on a ranch in west Texas. Bob spent his childhood immersed in ranching and farming which led to some unique experiences. One of those was meeting the man who killed a rare white buffalo and seeing the hide and the gun used to hunt it. As an FFA member, Bob’s blue-ribbon swine earned him a scholarship allowing him, after graduating from Snyder High School in 1949, to attend college at Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) in Lubbock, Texas. Bob graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and, after being drafted during the Korean conflict and serving two years in the US Army, received a second bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering.
Upon graduation in 1957, Bob accepted a position as a design engineer at John Deere Ottumwa Works. It was there that Bob met Mary Dean Hardsocg, whom he would marry shortly thereafter. Bob and Mary Dean would go on to have four daughters and a marriage that lasted until Mary Dean’s passing in 2017. At John Deere, Bob was granted several patents and contributed to a team of engineers that achieved notable advancements in the mower conditioner.
After twenty-seven years at John Deere, Bob retired in 1985 as a Senior Design Engineer and, along with Mary Dean, relocated to their home in Bella Vista, Arkansas. For Bob, retirement meant more time for golfing, hiking, landscaping, serving at St.Theodore’s Episcopal Church, spending time with grandkids and using his engineering skills to work on projects around the house. He remained there until 2021, when he would make his final home at Grand Brook Memory Care in Rogers.
Bob had a gift for being able to read the room. He had a certain look when he was about to speak; he might be about to deliver sage advice or a one-liner that would reveal his dry sense of humor. His most enduring legacy will always be his kind nature, which could be seen in his loyalty to his wife and family. Regardless of his accomplishments, he remained the nicest man in the room.
The family would like to thank the staff at Grand Brook Memory Care of Rogers for the exceptional care Bob received in his final years. The connections he formed marked some of his best relationships; their loving compassion and kindness were a true gift.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, CW and Bessie Sawyer, sister, Joy Stokes, wife, Mary Dean Sawyer and granddaughter, Maggie Estes.
Bob is survived by daughters: Christy Estes (Mark), Laurie Stuart (Gary), Meg Green (Grant), and Mandy Broadstreet (Frank); grandchildren Sam Estes, Alexa Beam, Anna Liberatore, Emily Estes, Lydnsey Pierce, Tyler Smith, Dylan Smith, Tanner Smith, Haley Pekel, Erin Green, Clare Green, Jack Green, Hannah Patrick, Natalie Broadstreet, Adam Broadstreet as well as twenty great-grandchildren.
The family feels incredibly blessed for the ninety-four years Bob was here on earth. The heart of the family, Bob will be forever missed. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to NWA Circle of Life.
