Robert Warren

Robert (Bob) Joel Warren, age 89, of Terre Haute, Indiana, died of natural causes on January 31, 2022, in Kendallville, Indiana, at Chandler Place.  He was born on November 16, 1932, to Clyde Oliver Warren and Eulalia McCormick Warren in Bluffton, Ohio.  Bob graduated from Cory-Rawson High School, Mt Cory, Ohio, in 1950 and from Heidelberg University, Tiffin, Ohio, in 1954.  He majored in Physical Education and History at Heidelberg, while also earning varsity letters in football and track.
 
Upon graduation from Heidelberg, he proudly served his country in the U.S. Army, serving In Okinawa for 2 years after the end of the Korean War.  Upon his return to the U.S., he married his high school sweetheart, Joan Ruth Green, on June 3, 1956, at Pleasant View United Methodist Church in Mt. Cory, Ohio; she preceded him in death on January 24, 2022.

He commenced his 40+ year coaching and teaching career in Ohio, where he taught and coached football, basketball, and track at Arcadia H.S., Fremont H.S., and Paulding H.S.  He moved on to the collegiate level at Bowling Green State University, where he served as a football graduate assistant and earned his Master’s Degree in Education in 1959. He coached at Bluffton University (1963-1968) and at his alma mater Heidelberg College (1969-1972), where he was the defensive coordinator for the 1972 Student Princes football team that was undefeated and won the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the Division III National Championship.

Bob and Joan moved their family to Terre Haute, Indiana, in 1973, where they resided for 48 years.  He moved to Terre Haute to coach football at Indiana State University (1973-1977).  After ISU, he coached at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (1978-1982).  He earned his Doctoral Degree in Higher Education from Indiana University (Bloomington) in 1979.

In the later years of his career, he also coached at State H.S. (basketball), Terre Haute South H.S. (football), and Honey Creek Junior High (basketball).
 
In 2006, he was honored with induction into the Heidelberg University Athletic Hall of Fame, based on his accomplishments as a student athlete and coach.
 
Bob was an active member of the United Methodist Temple in Terre Haute, Indiana, for over 45 years.  He was a faithful and devoted attendee of the sporting events and athletic endeavors of his children and grandchildren and loved to keep in touch with former classmates, teammates, players and students. He was an avid reader and an enthusiastic and curious traveler.  

He is survived by his daughter Jean (Brooks) Gekler of Kirkland, Washington, twin daughters Carol (Tim) Holcomb of Wolcottville, Indiana, and Cathy (Jim) Malke of Chesterfield, Missouri, and son, Rich (Michelle) Warren of Scottsdale, Arizona; grandchildren Matthew Holcomb, Grant Janssen, Erin Janssen and Connor (Kavan) Holcomb; also surviving is one brother Richard (Ann) K. Warren, Lima, Ohio, and step sisters Barbara Van Driest and Jane Bickel. He was preceded in death by his brothers John T. Warren and James K. Warren.

The family has asked that memorial contributions be made in his name to the Heidelberg University Athletic Department in Tiffin, Ohio, or the United Methodist Temple in Terre Haute, Indiana.
 
Services will be held privately. 

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