Robert Joseph Dubois, 75, of Washington passed away at 5:25pm Friday, May 27, 2016 at Unity Point Health-Proctor after a courageous battle with cancer.

Bob was born April 21, 1941 in Metamora, Illinois, the son of the late Joseph W. and Bernice E. Eckstein Dubois. He married Martha Anne Dray on April 25, 1964 and she survives.

Also surviving are their two children, Mary Theresa (Bart) Penn and Anthony Robert (Michelle) Dubois both of Washington. He was subsequently blessed with four grandchildren, Adam Joseph (and Jessica) Penn, Evan Lee Penn, Joseph William Dubois, Faith Nicole Dubois and one great-grandson Levi James Penn, son of Adam and Jessica.

Bob began his law enforcement career in 1960 as a Crime Scene Investigator with the Illinois Security & Intelligence Bureau. In 1970, he became a Crime Scene Investigator with the Illinois Bureau of Identification and later the Illinois Department of Law Enforcement. During this period, he assisted in developing the satellite Crime Lab in Pekin, Illinois, and later assisted in designing and moving that laboratory to its preset Morton, Illinois, location. He supervised the Crime Scene Technicians in the northern half of Illinois and taught crime scene and death investigation classes throughout Illinois including Western Illinois University, University of Illinois, Sangamon State University, Illinois Central College, and at the Illinois State Police Academy in Springfield.

He left State service in 1980. In March 1981 he resumed doing crime scene investigations for the Tazewell and Woodford Counties State's Attorneys' offices. In December 1993, he was appointed Chief Deputy Coroner of Tazewell County and was elected Tazewell County Coroner in 1996. He was subsequently re-elected in 2000 and retired at the end of his second term in 2004.

Bob was a former American Red Cross First Aid and CPR instructor, Boy Scout First Aid and Fingerprint Merit Badge instructor, an active member of the Professional Photographers of America, the Illinois Evidence Technicians Association, the American Federation of Police, the Central Illinois Fire Investigators Association, the Illinois Coroners/Medical Examiners Association, the National District Attorney's Association, the Illinois Sheriff's Association, the National Rifle Association, and the Christian Business Men's Committee. He was also an elected member of St. Patrick's School Board in Washington and a member of the Heart of Illinois Beekeepers' Association where he served as Secretary.

He was also an Active Life member of the International Association for Identification. He served that Association's Illinois Division as President during 1985-86 and served on the Illinois IAI Latent Fingerprint Certification Board. He was a Certified Latent Fingerprint Examiner since 1978.

Bob received the Washingtonian of the Year award in 1969 for his part in starting the Washington Rescue Squad in 1960 and subsequently obtaining the City of Washington's first ambulance through his writing of a federal grant, the first ever federal grant awarded to the city. He served 15 years on the Rescue Squad, 10 years of which were at the rank of Captain. During 1974-75, he assisted in writing a first-ever Physical Evidence handbook issued by The Police Training Institute to all police cadets.While serving as Coroner, he wrote and compiled a comprehensive Coroner's Manual that was later adopted by the Illinois Department of Public Health for use as a training manual for all newly elected Illinois Coroners.

His interests included reading, photography, gardening, woodworking, and doing crossword puzzles. After retirement, he penned and compiled a biblical book entitled "Lessons For Life".

As per Bob's request, a funeral service will be held at Mason-White Funeral Home at 10am Wednesday, June 1, 2016. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 31, at the funeral home from 5pm until 7pm. further visitation will be one-hour prior to his service. Burial will be at Lourdes Cemetery in Rural Metamora. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials in his name be given to St. Jude Midwest Affiliate or to Peoria Rescue Ministries. To share notes of condolences with the family, visit www.masonfuneralhomes.com.