Bobbie Dean Whicker

Bobbie Dean Whicker, 86, of Farmington, Ark., died Feb. 27, 2016, at the Willard Walker Hospice Home in Fayetteville, Ark. He was born Jan. 5, 1930, in Moravia, Iowa, the only child of Johnie Oral and Gladys Mae Robb Whicker.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1951-1953. He married Meredith Ann Mackay on Aug. 11, 1958, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. 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 before moving to Ridge Manor, Fla., in 2000 and to Farmington in 2006. Throughout his life, he 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.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife, Meredith; and sons, Gary Whicker and wife Deborah of Fayetteville, Douglas Whicker and wife Janene of West Des Moines, Iowa; and daughter, Cheryl (Whicker) Haataja and husband Dave of Farwell, Mich.; his grandchildren; and his sister-in-law and her husband.

A Masonic memorial service was held March 5, 2016, at Reece Funeral Home in Ottumwa, Iowa. Military services were conducted by Walter B. Schafer Post #775 Veterans of Foreign Wars and O.B. Nelson Post #3 American Legion.