Robert Warren

Robert William Wojnarowski Warren,76, loving husband, father, brother, uncle, and most cherished title “Grandpa Bob” passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. He was born on September 1, 1943, the third of four living sons to Aloysius Louis and Eileen Ciesielski Wojnarowski. Bob was raised in a predominately Polish neighborhood in Toledo, Ohio, with brothers Dennis, David and Dale.

Bob attended St. Hedwig's Catholic elementary school and Macomber Vocational High School where he studied refrigeration and heating.  He graduated in 1961and enlisted in the Ohio National Guard.  Bob's happiest memories of his childhood are the long drives taken with his family, often spontaneously, into Michigan and Wisconsin.  Bob's father died when he was four years old, and his mother often worked two jobs to support her sons.  His Busia and Jaja Ciesielski often lived with the family to tend the boys while she worked.

In 1966, after all of his brothers married and "there was no one left to play basketball with", he married Pam Redd, the sister of his brother David's wife.  In 1972 their only child, Gayle, was born. While working full time, Bob attended the University of Toledo during the early 1970's and obtained an Associate Degree in Chemical Technology.  When Bob lost his job in 1974 due to the recession, he was Gayle's caretaker and playmate while Pam worked part time. He spent hours with her, drawing, playing dolls, walking to the park and swinging, and taking her for “little drives” in the car.

According to his mother, Bob’s dad had talked about changing their family name, but died before that could happen. She often used a fictitious name when ordering food or dropping off dry cleaning, but did not have the name changed legally. In 1974, when Bob was out of work, he approached his three brothers about changing the name Wojnarowski. Bob and David and their families decided on the name Warren.  Dennis' family kept the family name, and Dale's family changed their name later.

When the likelihood of his finding a job became more and more dismal, Bob entertained the idea of enlisting in the U.S. Army to receive further education and to support his family. In early1976, he was sworn in and was stationed at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio enrolled in a Medical Technology course. Upon its completion, he was permanently stationed to a field unit at Fort Hood, Texas, where Pam and Gayle joined him in November 1976.  In 1979 Bob completed training as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist at U.S. Uniformed Health Services in Bethesda, MD, and received an Associate Degree from George Washington University.  Though the original plan had been to complete his initial four year enlistment and then return to the private sector, Bob remained in the Army until he retired in 1995, after serving at an induction center in Jacksonville, FL, Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco, and Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC.

After his military retirement, Bob held jobs in civilian hospitals in Maryland until he and Pam moved to Utah in 2000. He was employed at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, retiring again in 2010.  In December 2018, Bob was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Bob is survived by his wife, Pam; daughter Gayle (Bill) Jex; grandchildren Brody, Kennedy, and Carter; brothers David and Dale and many nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his brother Dennis. Bob will be most remembered for his love for his family, "little drives," corny one-liner jokes, and his love for nature and Michigan vacations.

With Bob's reserved and quiet demeanor you may think life with him was low-key and routine.  Hardly!  Life was an adventure with Bob in the driver's seat. Rarely one to pass up an inviting gravel road, overgrown path, or any opportunity for a road trip, he brought fun and adventure into the lives of his family and friends.