Robert E. Nipp, 89, of Le Mars passed away on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars. Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 22, 2016 at All Saints Catholic Parish-St. James Church in Le Mars, Iowa. Father Paul Eisele and Deacon Paul Gengler will celebrate Mass. Burial with military honors will follow at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at the church.

Robert Eugene Nipp was born Sept. 10, 1927 near Irene, SD to John and Anna (Buckley) Nipp. He moved with his parents to the Struble, Iowa area in 1936 and helped them farm along with his six siblings, first near Struble then south of Le Mars, Iowa then just outside Merrill, Iowa. Bob graduated from Le Mars Public High School in 1945. After serving in the Marine Corps he attended Westmar College then graduated from Iowa State University in 1951.

After leaving the Marines, and while attending Westmar College, Bob was a member of Company K in Le Mars. After 30 years in the U.S. Army reserves, Bob retired with the rank of Colonel. He was a member of Oleson-Halweg Post #125 of the American Legion in Merrill.

Freshly out of Iowa State, Bob taught school in Atlantic, Iowa before accepting a position with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Not long after starting with the Agriculture Department his writing and public relations talents were noticed by Orville Freeman, then Secretary of Agriculture, who promoted Bob and relocated him to Washington, DC. During his remaining 40 plus years of public service, Bob held high level public and media relations and speech writing positions with the Federal Government in Washington, DC. He worked directly for and with Orville Freeman – Agriculture, Jack Kemp – HUD, William Simon – Treasury, John Sawhill – Energy, Bay Buchanan – U.S Treasurer and Andrew Cuomo – HUD, and traveled worldwide on assignments with many of them. Bob also wrote or contributed to speeches for Presidents Johnson, Nixon and Ford, was a member of the National Press Club in Washington, DC and had many friends at high levels in the national media.

Bob lived many years in Falls Church, Virginia and was an avid and productive gardener. He enjoyed taking the fruits of his gardening to the “city people” at work and regularly took boxes of fresh vegetables to St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.

Bob always remained involved in farming near Merrill and SW Plymouth County and enjoyed returning in the fall for harvest and other times when the opportunity presented itself.

Bob is survived by his son, Michael Nipp of Struble, IA, granddaughter, Jessica Nipp of Omaha, NE, and several great-grandchildren , brothers, Bernard Nipp of Downey, CA and Don (Dorothy) Nipp of Remsen, IA; a sister, Colleen (Stuart) Smith of Cherokee, IA; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Eunice Nipp; brothers, John Nipp, Raymond Nipp and Tom Nipp.