Robert Leroy Way

Robert (Bob) Way was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1930. He grew up in West Des Moines with parents Charles and Marie, brother Ira and sister Mary. Following graduation from Valley High School he served in the U.S. Air Force. At discharge from active duty he was assigned to the Iowa Air Force Reserve Unit in Des Moines and pursued a degree at Drake University.

Bob met Fran during the Korean war when his reserve unit was activated. He was stationed with the USAF Headquarters Squadron at Dow Base in Bangor, Maine. Bob and Fran married in 1952 and returned to Bob’s hometown after he was discharged. They were looking forward to celebrating their 72st anniversary in June.

Bob earned a degree in Business Education at Drake University and a master’s degree in Education at the University of Northern Iowa. He began his teaching career as a high school Distributive Education Coordinator at Valley High School in West Des Moines. In 1964 he accepted a position with Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC). Bob and Fran and their three children, Bobby, Susan and Sarah, moved to Milwaukee , Wisconsin. During his 28 year tenure at MATC’s West Campus, Bob taught marketing courses and supervised the campus evening school. In addition, he served as negotiator, then president, of the MATC teacher’s union. Popular with his students, Bob was named “Teacher of the Year” three times.

Teaching was not Bob’s only skill. He was born with musical talent and performed at an early age as a boy soprano before his voice changed in adolescence to a rich baritone. Bob also played a number of musical instruments and was part of both vocal and instrumental groups. In high school, he won first place in state vocal competitions. As an adult Bob continued to sing for church and community groups and in 2019 was honored with a lifetime achievement award. Even in declining health, his voice remained strong. Perhaps as a premonition, his last song at his church was the traditional spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.”

Once near Lake Michigan, Bob and fell in love with sailing and became a competitive member of his yacht club racing fleet. In 1980 he bought a cruising sailboat, named it the “Maggie B” for his infant granddaughter , and placed the ship in charter in the British Virgin Islands. Bob liked to say, “We spend a glorious summer month each year sailing around paradise!” In the summer of 1988 Bob sailed “Maggie B” back from the Virgin Islands to Florida. The next summer he made the long journey up the east coast, the Hudson River and through the Erie Canal to Lake Erie, Lake Michigan and Milwaukee.

Upon their retirement in 1992, Bob and Fran moved aboard the “Maggie B” and sailed south down Lake Michigan, the Illinois River, Mississippi and the Tenn/Tom Waterway to the Gulf of Mexico and down the Florida coast. Once in Naples, they lived aboard their boat near their daughter Susan and family and for three years sailed around the warm Southern Florida waters. In 1996 they became home owners once again, settling in Turkey Creek, a small canal community of boaters on the Caloosahatchee River, near the Ortona lock and dam, 60 miles inland from Ft. Myers and the Gulf of Mexico. Still in “Bristol shape” the “Maggie B” is docked behind their house.

During his retirement Bob continued an active social and civic life. He served as commodore of his yacht club, president of the Ortona Community Association , a performer, board member and treasurer of the LaBelle Firehouse Theater, and a member of the Glades County schools’ student scholarship board, He was a life member of the Masons and the American Legion. Bob enjoyed “land” cruising with the Legion Riders on his motorcycle and driving the Citizen Observer Patrol (COP) police cruiser for the Glades County Sheriff’s Department. Bob was a founder and active member of All Faiths Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Fort Myers. He liked to say, “We drive the 60 mile distance every Sunday to be part of our beloved church community and to refuel our minds and spirits.”

Bob was preceded in death by his daughter Susan, his parents, and his brother Ira. He is survived by his wife, Fran, daughter Sarah, son Bobby, daughter- in- law Rhonda, son-in- law Joe Bonness, three grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

A celebration of Bob's life will take place on March 30th 2024 at the All Faiths Unitarian Congregation at 2:00 PM All are welcomed to attend.

All Faiths Unitarian Congregation

2756 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33901