Dillin, Wanamaker honored by Alumni Association

MARENGO — The Iowa Valley Alumni Association recognized charter members of its Distinguished Alumni and Outstanding Service Awards during an all-school reunion over the July 4 weekend.

Rick Wanamaker, class of 1966, was presented the Distinguished Alumni Award, and the family of Charles R. “Bob“ Dillin, class of 1936, received his Outstanding Service Award during an assembly at the high school auditorium Saturday.

Dillin died in 1998.

Steve Gates, a 1973 graduate of Iowa Valley High School, remembered Dillin as the voice of Marengo sports. But Dillin, as a member of the school board for many years, was instrumental in many improvements to the town’s educational system.

“[Bob’s work] was really just an extension of his faith, to give to others,” said Gates.

Dillin played baseball, basketball and football while at Marengo High School. He joined his class for their senior class photo on the stage from which Gates spoke July 5.

Dillin’s life was interrupted by World War II. He served in the 64th Division and was among the soldiers who helped liberate Czechoslovakia, said Gates.

“One of the challenges the 64th division had … was to secure the peace,” said Gates. It helped rebuild the war-torn country, and that rebuilding included establishing schools.

Work was hard to find when Dillin returned from Europe, said Gates. His first job out of the service was doing excavating with his father and brother.

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“He found it easy to relate to many different people,” said Gates.

Dillin married Iola Jean Farland in 1950 and they raised “a very, very successful family,” said Gates. Their children, Rollie, Larry and Robert Dillin and Rebecca Stockman attended the awards ceremony and accepted the award for their father.

In 1952, Dillin began a 28-year career with the Iowa County Savings Bank, said Gates. He retired as vice president in 1980.

“Bob helped me finance my college education,” said Gates. After two years of college, Gates didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life. He was working construction and didn’t want to continue that.

Gates went to see Dillin who told him, it may seem like a lot of money to repay, but a college education is worth it.

Dillin’s integrity was “beyond question,” said Gates. He took his time to offer advice and assurance.

In 1955, Dillin was elected to the school board and remained a board member for 19 years.

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“That covered some major changes and events,” said Gates.

In 1955, rural schools closed and their students began attending school in Marengo. To unify the student body, the school was renamed Iowa Valley.

“What an ingenious title to come up with,” said Gates. It was a name that all of the township students could relate to.

Dillin was on the board when a school bond passed for construction of an elementary school, which opened in 1961. Gates was one of the first graders to attend, he said. He spent kindergarten in the basement of the Presbyterian Church.

“That church basement would not have been possible without Bob Dillin,” said Gates. Dillin was a member there.

Dillin helped get a bond issue passed in 1971 for expansion of the high school, and he was instrumental in expanding girls’ sports, adding track and field and softball in the 1960s and 1970s, said Gates.

Dillin is perhaps best remembered as announcer at the football games and track and field events from 1947-1987. “Bob was the voice,” said Gates.

How many people in attendance Saturday remember the first time they heard Dillin announce their names in the varsity starting lineup? Gates asked.

One graduate, Mark Schultz, said in a video that he had dreamed about hearing Dillin announce his name, and he remembers hearing it for the first time. “It was a dream come true,” Schultz said.

“We are very humbled by this award,” said Dillin’s son Rollie. His parents’ examples carry on in their lives today.

Rick Wanamaker

In 1966, Bob Dillin was running the clock for a big basketball game, said Gates. The door opened, and 15 varsity basketball players run onto the court, “and one of them is Rick Wanamaker.”

Wanamaker was born in 1948 in Cedar Rapids because Marengo didn’t have a hospital at the time, said Randy Carney. He developed a love of sports, beginning with elementary track, running at the stock car track at the fairgrounds.

Iowa Valley had a great season in Wanamaker’s senior year, but lost to Williamsburg in the last game of the regular season before beating the Raiders in three overtimes in postseason play, said Carney.

After high school, Wanamaker played basketball for Maury John at Drake University and made Marengo proud as the Bulldogs nearly beat UCLA in the 1969 NCAA tournament.

Wanamaker entered the game in the second half after two other centers got into foul trouble, and blocked a shot from 7-foot, 2-inch Lew Alcindor, later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, that Alcindor never missed.

Even the television announcers were impressed, said Carney.

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The block was listed as the 100th best play in college basketball by the Bleacher Report in 2018.

“The defining moment of the night was the 7’2” UCLA legend getting his shot blocked by Drake’s 6’8” Rick Wanamaker,“ said Bleacher Report.

“Rick put Marengo on the map,” said Carney.

Wanamaker also loved the Drake Relays, and shortly after returning from California, he took on Dick Fosbury in the high jump. Wanamaker’s personal best was 6’8” but he hit 6’11"” at the Relay that year. Fosbury cleared seven feet, but Rick missed.

Wanamaker was the NCAA decathlon champion and was invited to 1970 Summer Universiade Men's decathlon in Turin, Italy. He won gold at the Pan American Games in 1971 and put Marengo on the map again, said Carney.

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Marengo residents met Wanamaker at the Cedar Rapids airport and a large caravan escorted him hope. The town hosted Wanamaker Day to honor him.

Wanamaker competed in the USSR/USA games in 1971, but he fractured his ankle in the pole vault before the Olympic trials and didn’t make the Olympic team, Carney said.

After his athletic career ended, Wanamaker put the same energy into his career in real estate. He now lives in Des Moines and supports charities in the Des Moines Metropolitan area while continuing to support Marengo and its schools.

“I remember being as tall as his knees,” said Wanamaker’s brother David. David was in elementary school when Rick was in high school and remembers his brother’s accolades.

“It was fun to be behind the scenes and watching Rick in sports,” said David. Children were always asking for Rick’s autograph.

When Drake played UCLA, David’s mother explained that the matchup was the equivalent of David and Goliath.

During the game and after the game, the phone rang off the hook as people watched Rick’s tremendous performance on television, said David.

The support of the townspeople was important to Rick, said David. “He wanted to do well for the town.” Rick always made a point to tell people where he was from.

Before talking about himself and his award, Rick Wanamaker recognized veterans in attendance. He also praised Junior High and High School Principal Janet Behrens for her passion for the school.

“You just can’t replace that,” Wanamaker said.

Wanamaker recognized the current coaching staff and named current state champions from this year’s track season. “The athletic programs are in great shape,” he said.

Wanamaker said he became interested in sports after his mother encouraged him to play in the band. He watched the athletes from the pit. “It was very exciting, and I thought someday this might be me.”

He remembered listening to Dillin’s voice. “I wish that somehow his voice had been recorded so we could listen to it today.”

Dillin gave countless hours over 40 years to the school “I don’t know if he ever missed a sing game,” Wanamaker said.

Wanamaker went out for basketball in seventh grade, but he wasn’t good at it, he said. “I liked football because I liked the uniforms.” And he liked competing in track.

The basketball coach told the 5’8” eighth grader he should try out for the team. Wanamaker told the coach he didn’t like basketball, but things changed.

“I got a free education out of it,” said Wanamaker. A friend got him to Drake University, and his play in the UCLA NCAA tournament made history.

Playing against someone like Alcindor wouldn’t happen today, said Wanamaker. A player like that would have gone pro, but in the 1960s, a player had to graduate. The year after Wanamaker faced Alcindor, the latter was the NBA’s player of the year.

Wanamaker remembered watching UCLA on television, little thinking he would be playing against the team a year later.

Wanamaker began competing in the decathlon because he needed the diversity. High jumping was nice, he said, “but you get tired of it.” He liked doing other things.

He also liked that track athletes helped one another, making suggestions that could improve performance.

“Track and field is a friendly sport,” he said. The athletes compete against the objective tape and the clock rather than a subjective coach or referee.

Wanamaker remembered the old gym, the rivalry with Williamsburg and the support of the town through his storied career.

“I certainly enjoyed saying I was from Marengo, Iowa,” said Wanamaker.