Robert Myron Donnelly was born Oct. 23, 1930, in Keokuk, Iowa, to John Joseph and Mary Caroline Kirkpatrick Donnelly. He passed away March 31, 2017, at his home near Bixby, Oklahoma, at the age of 86.
Early on Bob showed an affinity for music. He took to the drums naturally and enjoyed participating in band in school, marching in a drum and bugle corps, and playing in other bands at dances and events.
After graduating from Keokuk High School in 1948, Bob and several of his music-playing friends joined the United States Air Force Band. Bob served in the Air Force from 1948 to 1950. One of his postings was at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, and circumstances led to his meeting a girl from Waynetown, Ruth Blackford.
Bob escorted Ruth to her senior prom, and the following Sept. 3, 1949, they were married at the Waynetown Baptist Church. As Bob always explained it later, he had "waited until he was 18 to get married!"
Following Bob's Air Force service, he and Ruth settled in Waynetown, and their family began to grow, first with daughter Linn, then with son Bill, and finally with daughter Denise. Bob worked several jobs along the way, beginning with a factory job at Alcoa, then at Montgomery Ward's, and then as a purchasing agent at Steel Industries, later Impex, in Crawfordsville. One of his pleasures with the purchasing agent position was the opportunity provided by the company to take classes at Wabash College. Bob's second job, which was also his hobby, was playing the drums with various bands including The Cavemen, The Town Criers, and The Northwinds, a big band in Indianapolis. He also made time for volunteer activities including serving as president of the Waynetown school band parents, being president of the Parent Teacher Organization, participating in the Crawfordsville Jaycees, and serving as a Junior Achievement advisor. He and Ruth and the kids enjoyed travel to various parts of the United States. Bob enjoyed golf, swimming, and attending Indy car racing events, often shared with good friends Bob and Liz Keenan and their children.
In 1969, Bob learned of a music opportunity that included mentoring youth: Sing Out Montgomery County, a local branch of the Up With People movement, needed a musical director. Soon the entire Donnelly family was involved in Sing Out Montgomery County, a connection of dear friends for life.
A job change led to the Donnellys moving to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, in 1971. Bob quickly found a music community, leading to his volunteering with several area high school band programs and joining another big band, The Sounds of Music Orchestra. Bob continued playing in The Sounds of Music Orchestra until age eighty, when neuropathy in his hands made drumming difficult.
Bob switched from purchasing agent work to being a manufacturer's representative, working until age seventy. Shortly before he retired, the building of the Creek Turnpike forced the family to leave Broken Arrow and move to Bixby, Oklahoma.
Bob had been brought up in the Christian Church Disciples of Christ in Keokuk, Iowa, and he and Ruth are currently members of First Christian Church Disciples of Christ in Broken Arrow. Since being placed on hospice, Bob often expressed his regret at no longer being able to attend church.
Bob's parents, brothers Joe and David Donnelly, sisters Dorothy White (Conrad), Ruth Gates Davison (Jim Gates, Bill Davison), and Betty Donnelly, grandsons Bracken and Adam Ball, and other relatives and many friends have pre-deceased him. He is survived by his wife Ruth, daughters Linn Ball (Bill) of Broken Arrow; Denise Hamburger (Terry) of Weatherford, Oklahoma; son Bill Donnelly (Gayle) of Bixby, Oklahoma; six grandchildren Jonathan (Shannon) Ball of Atlanta, Georgia; Nathaniel Ball of Boulder, Colorado; Patrick Ball (Amanda) of New York City; Jacob (Lacy) Hamburger of Weatherford, Oklahoma; Ellen Hamburger (fiancé Clay Mol) of Perry, Oklahoma; and Rob Donnelly (Taylor) of Bixby, Oklahoma; seven great-grandchildren Grainger, Thomas, and Charlie Ball of Atlanta, Elliott Ball of New York, and Aspen, Jace, and Zack Hamburger of Weatherford, Oklahoma; nieces Diana Busst of Huntington Beach, California; Kay Staeger of Sammamish, Washington; Laura Hemly (Dean) of Tampa, Florida; and Pat Beck (Ron) of Zionsville, Indiana; and nephews Charles Wayne (Violet) Blackford of Brazil, Indiana; Rob Blackford of Plainfield, Indiana; Steve Gates (Carol) of Keokuk, Iowa; Randy Davison (Christy), of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; and Brendan Donnelly of Honolulu, Hawaii; plus several great-nieces and great-nephews, dear friends Bob and Liz Keenan and their family, the Sing Out Montgomery County alumni, First Christian Church friends and other friends including caregiver Ashlee Walker.
Visitation will take place Wednesday April 5 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Family and Friends Funeral Home of Wingate, Indiana. Services will be conducted at 2:00 PM Thursday April 6, 2017 at the funeral home and will be officiated by Bob's grandson, Reverend Jonathan Ball. Burial will follow in the Waynetown Masonic Cemetery. An additional memorial service will be held at a later time at First Christian Church in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Visit us online at www.familyandfriendsfh.com to share a memory or leave a condolence.