Arizona Obituary Archive

Search      Post Obituary


Robert Candland (Bob) Dyer

Posted 2018-03-11 by Judy Wight Branson
The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona
Sunday, March 4, 2018, page 8a

Robert C. (Bob) Dyer, former free-lance writer and editor, and an
Arizona newspaperman for many years, died Feb. 10, 2018. at the age
of 93.

An Arizona resident for 69 years, Bob had resided in Prescott,
Arizona, 42 years, having moved there from Phoenix. He was editor
and publisher of The Paper, an award-winning weekly newspaper, for
several years, after more than 22 years as a reporter, editor and
columnist for The Phoenix Gazette, then Phoenix’s afternoon daily
newspaper. Previously, he had been a reporter and news staff writer
for daily newspapers in Houston, Texas. He also worked in
advertising and public relations in Phoenix. After leaving the
newspaper business, Bob was a free-lance writer and editor and
operated a small publishing firm. He performed a wide range of
assignments for Arizona Highways magazine, including book editing,
magazine writing and authorship of Timeless Images, a colorful and
elaborate “coffee-table” book published in 1990 to commemorate the
magazine’s 65th anniversary. In the 1990s, he wrote the text for
“Arizona Traveler,” then the state’s official travel guide,
published jointly by Arizona Highways and the Arizona Office of
Tourism.

A veteran of World War II, he served in an Army combat engineer
battalion in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations, principally
on Okinawa. After the Japanese surrender, he accompanied his unit
from Okinawa to Japan, participating in early stages of the military
occupation. His personal highlight of service in Japan was his
reunion, in Yokohama, with his father, who had been involved in
jungle fighting in New Guinea and The Philippines. Because of the
war, the two had not seen each other for four years. After the war,
Bob continued for a time in military reserve components, first in
the Texas National Guard, then in the Army reserve, leaving service
with the rank of master sergeant.

Formerly active in community life, Bob had been a member of the
Arizona Academy, sponsor of the semiannual Arizona Town Halls;
served two successful years as American Cancer Crusade chairman for
Yavapai County; and had been a member of the Prescott Thirty, a
community service organization active in the 1970s and ‘80s, and
secretary-treasurer of Prescott Rotary Club.

Born Dec. 3, 1924, in Greencastle, Indiana, Bob grew up in
Indianapolis and attended public schools there.

He also attended Butler University and The Citadel. Bob is survived
by his wife of 66 years, Mary Ellen Dyer of Prescott; their four
children, Cliff C. Damron of Denton, Texas, David J. Damron of
Phoenix, Anne Elaine Hanlon of Miami, Florida, and Robert C. Dyer
Jr. of Scottsdale; plus several grandchildren and great-
grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Col. (ret.) Fred. C. Dyer
and Geraldine C. (Jerry) Dyer; and brothers, Fred C. Dyer Jr. and
Colin M. Dyer.

Other survivors include several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on March 10, 2018,
at Prescott United Methodist Church,, where Bob was a member. His
ashes will remain in the Prescott Veterans Administration Center
Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Good Samaritan
Society - Marley House, Prescott.

Arrangements entrusted to Hampton Funeral Home.




Note: These obituaries are transcribed as published and are submitted by volunteers who have no connection to the families. They do not write the obituaries and have no further information other than what is posted within the obituaries. We do not do personal research. For this you would have to find a volunteer who does this or hire a professional researcher.

Questions About This Project?