ROBERT APPELDORN ROHWER Indianola Robert Appeldorn Rohwer, 94, passed away on March 2, 2012 at Wesley The Village, a retirement community in Indianola, Iowa, formerly of Paullina, Iowa, in the company of his sons. He was born February 2, 1918 to Rudolph and Anna Rohwer on the farm near Paullina that became his home for most of his adult life. His life was defined by his devotion to his wife and partner, Virginia Elizabeth Wright (deceased, May 2, 2004). They met and married at the University of Wisconsin while he was attending graduate school. Prior to returning to the family farm in 1951, he held teaching and research posts at Iowa State University (1946 to 1949) and Oklahoma State University (1949 to 1951). In his short academic career he produced several scholarly journal articles and co-authored a National Planning Association book titled Family Farming. He also taught the first anthropology course offered by Iowa State University and taught an anthropology course at Northwestern College in Orange City, and later Buena Vista College, after returning to the family farm. His career as a farmer was defined by proud stewardship of what he characterized as some of the earth's best soils and the development of and the nurturing of a high quality Angus cow herd. He was a graduate of Morningside College with a BA in economics and he received an M.A. and PhD (Rural Sociology) from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He viewed choral music as his principal avocation extending from the touring choir at Morningside College, the University of Wisconsin madrigal group, Paullina's Centennial men's a capella chorus Mill Creek Men, Sioux County Oratorio Chorus, Robert Shaw short courses, and several church choirs. He was an idealist and an activist, proud of his life-long pursuit of world peace. Robert is survived by his sons, Milton (Barbara Nienhuis) Rohwer of Grand Rapids, MI and Bruce (Carol) Rohwer of Paullina, IA. He is also survived by five grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. Robert has donated his body to the University of Iowa for medical research and a memorial service is planned for 11 a.m., April 5, 2012 at Mapleside Friends Meeting House, Paullina, IA.