Robert E. Ofner

Robert E. Ofner, 89, a resident of Bettendorf, Iowa died Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at his residence.
Visitation will be from 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. Sunday, October 19, 2008 at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Monday, October 20, 2008 at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home. Burial with military honors will be at the Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois. Memorials may be made to the Friends of the Bettendorf Public Library.
Robert was born January 10, 1919 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Oscar & Olga (Ernst) Ofner. He was united in marriage to Ruth R. Ruddock on August 30, 1942 in Washington D.C. She preceded him in death on November 23, 1997.
Robert earned his Master’s Degree in Chemistry at the University of Arizona.
During World War II, he served in the US Army and was honorably discharged in 1945. He was then employed for over 25 years as a chemist at the Rock Island Arsenal. He also served 10 years on the Pleasant Valley Township School Board.
Robert had a long history of volunteerism. He won the Governors Volunteer Award in 1992 and in 2002 and spent 30 years as a volunteer for the Friends of the Bettendorf Public Library. He was actively involved with many community and environmental organizations including the Sierra Club, Habitat for Humanity and Trees-R-Us.
Those left to honor his memory include his daughters, Linda (Patrick) McHenry, of Shorewood, Illinois and Lucy Ofner of Rock Island, Illinois; his sons, Robert (Linda) Ofner of Davenport, Iowa and Terry (Susan) Ofner of Indianapolis, Iowa; his grandchildren, Jesse, Sara, Johanna and Teddy Ofner and Patrick Moreland; and his nieces, Nancy Kulish and Jeannie Weiner.
Robert was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth; his parents; and his sister, Marion Mann.