Robert "Rob" Bard Dunlap, 60, of Springfield, MO formally of Ottawa, KS passed away peacefully at his home on March 3, 2025. Rob was born on October 5, 1964, in Kansas City, MO to Chris and Michele (Sealey) Dunlap. The family moved to the Ottawa area in 1971. Rob attended schools in Wellsville and at Ottawa High School where he graduated in 1982. His high school studies included Graphic Arts and Automotive Repair in the Vo Tech. He attended Pittsburg State University studying Graphic Arts. After an Internship, Rob joined Ramsey Printing and Tiny Times. At Ramsey's he held several roles as a developer and pressman.

Rob was preceded in death by grandparents Virgil and Betty (Needham) Sealey of Wichita, KS and Preston and Marie (Carson) Dunlap of Haysville, KS.

He is survived by Trish of the home and her parents Bob and Margaret Curry of Madison, KS and Trish's brother Alan of Thailand. Also surviving are his parents Chris and Michele Dunlap of Ottawa, brother and wife Brett and Danielle (Nichols) Dunlap, nephew Carson Dunlap and wife Frankie and their children Anna Mae and Lucas and nephew Mike Dunlap and wife Katelyn and their children Addison and Thomas.

The hobbies Rob enjoyed later in life were similar to his chosen 4-H projects, photography, genealogy, forestry, automotive and the dog projects.

He enrolled in a Japanese Language Arts program LABO, where he would host Nagashi, a 12-year-old from Japan. Rob helped him collect fossils from nearby quarries; also traveling to western KS to find shark's teeth and fish fossils.

In1977 Rob was invited to spend a summer month in Nagoya, Japan; an experience he would treasure all his life. Mochi Mochi, Arigato, Gozaimasu and other Japanese greetings he'd share back home and still almost daily.

Later on, Rob looked forward every late Fall to a primitive cabin stay in Minnesota deer hunting with other hardy friends. From April to October, he honed his shooting skills in IHMSA, long range pistol matches held twice monthly. It was at the Linwood KS match he met Trish from Springfield MO staying and shooting the match with her parents in Lawrence.

One summer Trish's parents were invited to share a trip to Rob's uncle's cabin in Grand Lake Colorado. On hearing this Rob slyly asked his parents why not invite Trish.  Then, when Trish had a work conflict at the Vet Clinic, Rob offered to drive her out and back.

They must have had a good time, because the driving continued, with Rob spending weekends away from his home. Then he left his first Ramsey's Printing job for a new Print Shop job in Springfield and Trish had a new driver to matches, work sometimes and vacations always.

They found they had photography in common locally and on National Parks trips, trout fishing and at home an aquarium of Rob's pet fish. Rob could be found most evenings, in their backyard with the Oriental-design Big Green Egg in similar proportion to Rob's 6ft 7in frame. Trish did the clean-up and gave the cook praises.

In a card, a childhood 4-H friend wrote "I can remember his laugh and the school bus rides would have been pretty boring without Rob."

Our Washington state friend wrote "The best way for me to honor Rob is to be good to myself, take care of yourselves, honor life, honor Rob's memory and essence."

Rob's influence on our lives will last forever.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Midwest Cremation and Funeral Services of Springfield, MO.