Robert "Bob" Bulver
November 04, 1953 — January 03, 2025
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Service Details
Robert Franklin Bulver Jr. was born November 4th, 1953, in Des Moines. He was an East-sider who loved Des Moines and the Iowa countryside. On January 3, 2025, Bob got off the cancer rollercoaster and finished the marathon with great strength.
He was met in Heaven by his mom Sally, his dad Bob Sr., his sister Diana, his sister-in-law Linda Schmidt, and her husband Michael, and many others. Missing him here is his wife of 35 years Julie, his sons Justin (Rashela) of Pleasant Hill and Belize, Todd (Hailey) of Milwaukee, Nolan (Abbey) of Pleasant Hill, his sister Julie Guhl (Chuck) of Des Moines, his brothers Dennis Bulver of Orange City, Florida, William Powell (Sandi) of Iowa, and Ken and Kathy Heaberlin of Oklahoma, along with numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and dear friends.
Bob was a proud graduate of East High School. He retired from the United States Post Office after 37 years. He could still recite the zip codes for all the towns in Iowa! Bob always enjoyed swimming, skiing, biking, walking, working in the yard, being in the sun, and traveling. After retiring Bob had more time for thrifting, gardening, water aerobics, water walking, landscaping, antiquing, attending car and truck shows, visiting art shows, taking short trips (Muscatine, Oskaloosa, Kansas City, etc.) and long trips (Glacier National Park, Seattle, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson, Savannah, etc.). He was Julie's Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections partner. At the age of 70, he found his groove and took ballroom dance lessons and became a great dance partner too.
A hard worker, a true friend, a loyal brother, a loving husband, and the best dad!
The Visitation will be Sunday, January 12th from 3:00pm to 5:00pm at Hamilton's Funeral Home (605 Lyon St. Des Moines, IA).
The Celebration of Life will be Monday, January 13th at 11:00am at Hamilton's.
Memorial contributions can be directed to the family to be given to EHS class of ‘72, APWU Retirees (Des Moines Chapter), and Richard Deming Cancer Center per Bob's request.
Deb Gaskins
01/12/2025
Bob and I became friends when we worked the overnight shift at the Post Office 40 some years ago. A lot of night shift workers hung out and became friends because of the bad hours and days off we had back then. Bob and I and a group of friends played golf in the daytime, went on canoe (float) trips and went on ski trips to Colorado and took the train to Winter Park at least once. I remember my brother, Jim liking Bob so much on those trips because of his curious and joyful nature. One Labor Day weekend about 36 years ago some friends were going on a picnic and Julie was in Des Moines before traveling to France for a year to teach. Serendipity stepped in that day and Bob and Julie immediately hit it off. Bob always gave me credit for introducing him to the love of his life. Bob and I stayed in touch over the years even though we went our separate ways at the PO and even after retirement. Bob and Julie joined a walking club I am involved in and I would see them at the retirees get togethers at the union hall. I am so grateful to Julie that I was able to come and visit Bob right before Christmas. He still looked great (no gray hair) and had a positive attitude even though he had just been through hell in the fall. The word I always think of to describe Bob is "nice" and I don't know anyone who would disagree. Bob was a great friend, a hard worker, athletic and curious and a loving and proud husband and father of three sons. The world would be a better place if it had more "Bobs" in it and he will be greatly missed by all. It was my great honor to know him.
Lisa Fitzpatrick
01/10/2025
Julie and family,
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved husband Bob. You are in my thoughts and prayers. 🙏🫂🙏
Lola
01/08/2025
Chère Julie, Justin, Todd and Nolan
Je suis bien triste d'apprendre le décès de votre cher Bob.
I remember staying at your house, your family welcomed for a week or two my brother and me. I will never forget how Bob was nice and dynamic, and you Julie how big hearted you are. We think a lot of you and send you a lot of love from France.
On pense à vous
Barb Slater
01/08/2025
Julie, I am sorry to hear about Bob's passing. He was such a pleasure to work with at the Pleasant Hill PO! Fly high Bob, you will be missed!
kirk petty
01/08/2025
Bob was good friend while working together at the USPS, we had first gotten to know each other at East when I was a sophmore in chorus, gym and a rhetoric class I was taking with seniors. We skied the mountains at Winter Park after arriving on the train with the annual Des Moines Parks and Rec trip. Bob tried to introduce me to cafe mochas on that trip which didn't take but also to some of the best Baileys and Hot Chocolate served on the mountain. Bob was a very good skier. He was a great postal worker and helped add calmness to where he worked when it was even very difficult to do. Sadly we lost touch after he retired but he talked often of his family they were his real world.
Mark Ryburn
01/07/2025
To the Famiy of Bob. Your father was a great person,great sense of humor. great worker . the Post office need more beautifull people like him.My sympathy to his Family. very sad day for a lot of us co-workers & retired. Mark Ryburn Dang it!!!!