Bobbie Whicker

Bobbie Dean Whicker, 86, of Farmington, Arkansas died February 27, 2016 at the Willard Walker Hospice Home in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He was born January 5, 1930 in Moravia, Iowa, the only child of Johnie Oral and Gladys Mae Robb Whicker. He graduated from Moravia High School in 1948. He served in the U.S. Army from 1951-1953. Bobbie married Meredith Ann Mackay on August 11, 1958 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He retired from the John Deere Ottumwa Works in Ottumwa, Iowa in 1984 after 36 years of service. During his career he worked in a variety of roles from welding to field test to industrial engineering, and was one of the inventors of a patented forage harvester cutterhead. He lived in Ottumwa, Iowa before moving to Ridge Manor, Florida in 2000 and to Farmington, Arkansas in 2006. Throughout his life, Bobbie focused on family, friends and fun. He enjoyed bowling, golfing, duck hunting, fishing, boating, camping and socializing. He was a life member of the BPO Elks Lodge #347, and a 50-year plus member of O.B. Nelson Post #3 American Legion and the Antiquity Masonic Lodge #252 A.F.&A.M. in Moravia, Iowa. He was a past member of Rose Chapter #552 Order of Eastern Star, Davenport Consistory, Ottumwa Consistory Club, Kaaba Shrine Club, Ottumwa Shrine Club and the Royal Order of Jesters. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Meredith and sons, Gary Whicker and wife Deborah of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Douglas Whicker and wife Janene of West Des Moines, Iowa; and daughter, Cheryl (Whicker) Haataja and husband Dave of Farwell, Michigan. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Dane Whicker, Blake and wife Francis Whicker, Keegan Whicker, Jordan Burmeister and Jenna Burmeister; and his sister-in-law, Marjorie Mackay Erickson and her husband Wallace Erickson of Owatonna, Minnesota. A Masonic memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Reece Funeral Home in Ottumwa, Iowa. Military services will be conducted by Walter B. Schafer Post #775 Veterans of Foreign Wars and O.B. Nelson Post #3 American Legion. Visitation with the family present will be one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children (http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/donate). So mote it be.