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One of Des Moines’ most active and passionate community members passed away on Sunday, March 1, after a long battle with cancer.

Robert Mickle, 84, dedicated his retirement from city planning to serving as a persistent and strong voice at city and county government meetings and on school initiatives, neighborhood development, public works projects and much more. He was president of Des Moines Neighbors, an organization that supports local neighborhood associations, helped found the nonprofit Neighborhood Resource Office to provide resources and assistance to neighborhoods, and led the development of the Robert W. Mickle Neighborhood Resource Center in Sherman Hill, which houses both offices. He also was a planning consultant for the Iowa Council for International Understanding (ICIU) and the state in a joint cultural, government and small business exchange program between Des Moines and Cherkasy, Ukraine.

Though his volunteer efforts remain perhaps his biggest legacy, he also had a long career in city planning, which included his stint as planning director for the city of Des Moines from 1972 to 1982 and then as a private consultant on urban planning issues for the city and suburban communities until 1986.

Here are some reflections from community leaders who worked closely with Mickle:

• “I can’t think of anybody else in the metro area that did better good and worked harder for the average citizen,” said Brian Millard, a citizen representative on the Des Moines Plan and Zoning Commission and board member of Des Moines Neighbors.

Even when Mickle was in the hospital, Miller said, Mickle would call him to talk about proposals on upcoming agendas.

• “Elected officials always knew that Bob would study (documents) and catch things that they hadn’t even considered and give them good advice on it,” Millard said.

• “More likely than not, I disagreed with Bob on individual issues, but never have I met someone who I could work with more agreeably in a disagreement. He was a gentleman and always very straightforward – no hidden agendas. And he was very dependable in his source of questions, very consistent in what his concerns were and very consistent in his review of materials,” said Bill Stowe, director of the Des Moines Public Works Department.

When preparing to present changes or new initiatives to the public or city council, Stowe said his department often thought about what Mickle’s reaction would be, especially in regard to disadvantaged people in Des Moines. The department tried to foresee the questions Mickle would ask, because they knew he would thoroughly read and analyze their materials.

• “Bob is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience for any of us that worked with him,” Stowe said, also marveling at how he did this work as a volunteer. “The good thing is the impression he’s left on us, and the diligence he’s really put upon us in preparing materials will not go away just because Bob is no longer with us. Bob’s legacy will move forward from what he’s taught us.”

• “Bob has been a mentor to myself and many others in neighborhood work in helping us understand the system and how to work with city and county government,” said Kimberly Hansen, executive director of the Neighborhood Resource Office and former president of Des Moines Neighbors.

She noted that Mickle was always encouraging the city and county governments to work together on projects. He also was the impetus to develop the resource office into a nonprofit that would support neighborhood associations.

• “Bob was a volunteer basically with anything that had to do with revitalizing neighborhoods and redevelopment in the community,” Hansen said.

Mickle received the Iowa Council for International Understanding’s highest award in 2000 for his work with the organization. His involvement included hosting international visitors and traveling to Ukraine as part of Iowa’s exchange program with Cherkasy. Though ICIU Executive Director Judith Conlin did not work directly with Mickle, she learned of his reputation from several board members.

• “He was just a remarkable and such a warm and loving man,” Conlin said. “He was just loved, and I know he will be missed enormously.”