Robert J. Naylor ’80 died July 18, 2015, in Iowa City, Iowa.
(The following appeared in The New Haven Register on Aug. 2, 2015):
NAYLOR, ROBERT J. “BOB” Robert J. “Bob” Naylor, 57, of rural Iowa City died unexpectedly at his home on Saturday, July 18, 2015. Bob is survived by his wife, Connie Marberry, their three children, Zoe, Eli and Sam and nine rescue dogs. Bob is also survived by his father, William of East Haven, CT, brother, Richard (Marcy) of Woodbridge and sister, Kathryn (Richard) Hora of Poway, Ca. He was predeceased by his mother, Evelyn and brother, William Jr. Bob received his undergraduate degree in Economics from Bowdoin College and his Master’s in Educational Measurement and Statistics from the University of Iowa. He loved swimming and started swimming competitively at age 8. In 2013, at the age of 55, he competed in a 26 mile open water swim in Minnesota. Bob placed first in the Men’s Category and broke the previous men’s record. Next year the annual Iowa City Open Water Swimmers Race will be dedicated to Bob and will be called “The Robert Naylor Memorial Open Water Swim Race.” The Bowdoin College swimmers will pay tribute to Bob next year.
Bob was also co-captain of the Bowdoin men’s swim team and regularly swam two of the most dreaded events- the 200 fly and the 400 individual medley. He was funny, smart, kind, caring and had the biggest, most spontaneous laugh I have ever heard. Bob married another Bowdoin swimmer, Connie Marberry, who has very similar attributes. It is very hard to believe that his time here has ended.