Robert "Bob" Walter Marley, age 87, of Wichita, Kansas, passed away on July 26, 2022. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife of 40 years Cathy (Rice) Marley. He is survived by his Son, Robert J. Marley (Margaret Maben) of Rolla, Missouri; Daughter, Susan (Marley) Provo (Del) of Augusta, Kansas; Stepson, Jeff Nicholas of Garden City, Kansas. He is also survived by his brother William "Bill" Marley (Katy) of North Miami, Oklahoma. He had four grandchildren, Alyssa (A.J.) Mies, Heidi (Clint) Jones, Heather (Joel) Schwaiger, and Clayton (Jenna Harrison) Nicholas; and seven great-grandchildren, Natalie Gregory, Kayleigh and Beckett Mies, MaKenna Jones, Alexander and Oliver Schwaiger and Paisley Jo Nicholas as well as many nieces and nephews.
Bob was born in Talala, Oklahoma, on February 17, 1935, of parents, Oran W. and Maude (Bivins) Marley. He graduated from Nowata High School in 1953 where he was active in many clubs and sports, including the FFA and the 4H. He participated in several sports including football, wrestling, track, and baseball. Bob was invited to try out for the Milwaukee Braves baseball team but a prolonged illness prevented him from achieving the dream of playing major league baseball.
He went on to attend college and in 1958, Bob graduated with a BS in education from Oklahoma State University and he began teaching in the Wichita Public Schools that fall. In 1964, Bob also earned a Masters degree in education from the Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia. He continued in the Wichita schools until his first retirement in 1996. During these years, Bob was one of the early pioneers in the growing field in the use of physical education and activity to help mainstream students with limiting learning and/or physical disabilities. During his tenure, Bob also helped transform the curricula of physical education throughout the district and was influential beyond. For his efforts, Bob earned numerous awards including a National Elementary School Teacher of the Year award in 1993 and many other notable accolades.
Bob was also active in service to the National Education Association (NEA) where he held several offices and committee assignments, both locally and nationally. In 1999, he was appointed by the Clinton Administration to serve a 5 year term on the National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board.
Throughout much of his service, Bob also coached numerous different sports teams at many levels from elementary school to high school. These included men’s track, wrestling, men’s and women’s gymnastics, as well as women’s softball and soccer. All of his teams were successful and many earned post-season play including City League titles and State placements. He was also proud of the individual success of so many of the athletes whom he coached. He was even more proud of the individual success and achievement of all his students later in their lives. Whether in coaching or in the physical education classrooms, Bob always had a large cadre of student teachers who sought to mentor under him.
Ultimately, retirement did not sit well with Bob, and he was recruited as an instructor in the College of Education at Wichita State University for several years. Here again he earned several departmental and college teaching honors.
Bob was very passionate about his Cherokee heritage and was active in many Indian activities well into the latter stages of his life. He was one of the founding board members of the Mid-America All-Indian Center (MAAIC) in Wichita and served on several its leadership committees. In this capacity he helped advocate for many Native American causes both locally and nationally. He was also the key local representative to the US Department of Interior for securing and awarding eagle feathers for graduating students and for other honorary occasions.
In later years, Bob suffered from a variety of ailments, any one of which would have driven others into seclusion. But he persevered, never letting his pain get in the way of enjoying life and always had a smile and a story to share.
A public memorial is planned for the Mid-American All-Indian Center (MAAIC), 650 N. Seneca Street, Wichita, Kansas on Saturday, September 10, 2022, at 10:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the MAAIC, or to the First Presbyterian Education Fund, in his name.
