Obituary of Robert Bennett

Robert F. "Bob" Bennett, 85 of Amana, died at his home Saturday, June 7, 2014. Funeral services will be held at 11 am Tuesday, June 10, 2014, at. St. Mary's Catholic Church in Oxford. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 pm Monday concluding with a parish vigil service at 8pm at the church in Oxford. In Lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made in his memory to the local chapters of the American Heart Association, American Lung Association or to the charity of your choice. Robert Fischer Bennett was born August 12, 1928, in Clinton, Iowa the son of George H. and Edna M. (Gaffney) Bennett. Following graduation from Clinton High School he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving during WWII in the South Pacific. At the end of WWII, he entered the Navy Reserves, and was recalled back into service during the Korean Conflict. From the early 1950's to the early 70's, Bob was very active locally and nationally in Collective Bargaining and Labor Management Affairs. He served as a representative and negotiator for the American Federation of Grain Millers and as an officer of the Inter-Union Wet Corn Milling Council of the United States and Canada in the capacity of Council Secretary and as chairman of the Wage Policy Committee. In 1973 he was appointed Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, assigned to the St. Louis Regional Office. For several months assignments took him to Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa. In 1974 he was permanently assigned to the field office of F.M.C.S. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For the next 20 years Bob actively participated and mediated over 1000 collective bargaining agreements in the private, public and federal sector, including the health care field. During his distinguished career he received numerous honors, recognitions and awards including his induction to Who's Who' in Labor in 1975, induction to the Dubuque Area Labor Hall of Fame in 2013, and at his retirement in 1994, the establishment of the "Bob Bennett Good Faith Award" by the Dubuque Area Labor Management Council. Once a year a member of Labor and one from Management are selected to receive this prestigious award in Bob's memory. Bob married Marla (Kraus) Smith in 1985, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Oxford. The couple has enjoyed their homes, lives and many friends at their homes in Amana and also on Marco Island, Florida. Bob took up golf at the age of 75, something he wished he had done earlier in his life! His family includes his wife, Marla; son, Jerry of Tulsa, OK; sister, Shirley O'Neal (Dave) of Rock Falls, IL; brother, Donald of Clinton; sister-in-law, Pat Bennett of Illinois; Marla's family, her son, Joel Smith (Lucy) of Shorewood, MN and their children, Alex, Nicholas, Molly, Abigail and Charlie; Her brother, Frank Kraus (Cindy) of Dubuque; and many nieces, nephews and friends. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, son, Michael Bennett; brothers, Richard (infant), and Marvin Bennett; sister, Donna Russell, and an infant granddaughter, Elizabeth.