Carson City Mayor, attorney and Vietnam veteran Robert L. "Bob" Crowell died overnight. He was 74.
Robert L. "Bob" Crowell was a native Nevadan, born in the mining town of Tonopah and raised in Carson City. An attorney by profession, Bob was a Vietnam Veteran and retired Navy Captain. He was elected Mayor of Carson City in 2008 and assumed his duties as Mayor on January 5, 2009. He was re-elected in 2012 and 2016. Prior to being elected Mayor, Bob served 11 years on the Carson City School Board of Trustees.
Mayor Crowell had been suffering recent health setbacks. He was brought from Reno to City Hall by motorcade arriving at approximately Saturday afternoon for a brief ceremony before continuing on to FitzHenry’s Funeral Home. The ceremony can be viewed here. Flags at City facilities will be flown at half mast for one week in his honor.
Mayor Crowell and his wife Susan were married for 49 years and have four children, Brad, Caroline, David and Todd and two grandchildren.
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak released the following statement: “I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Carson City Mayor Bob Crowell. A native Nevadan, Vietnam Veteran, family man and dedicated public servant, Mayor Crowell truly embodied what it means to be a Nevadan. It would be impossible to overstate just how much he meant to his neighbors and all of the families in our state capital.
"Throughout his life, Bob served Nevadans with honesty and integrity, whether as president of the State Bar of Nevada or president of the Carson City School Board of Trustees. His work earned him multiple honors, including the Robert Broadbent Distinguished Service Award from the Nevada Chapter of the American Public Works Association, the Participatory Democracy Award for 2018 from the Nevada Association of Counties and the State Bar of Nevada Presidential Award recognizing a member whose conduct, honesty and integrity represents the highest standards of the legal profession. Nevada is a better State because of Bob.
"Kathy and I send our love and condolences to Carson City and the Crowell family — including his wife Susan, his four children and two grandchildren — and friends and we’ll keep them in our thoughts and prayers over the difficult days ahead.”
Nancy Paulson, Carson City Manager, released the following statement regarding the passing of Mayor Crowell.
“On behalf of Carson City, I extend condolences to the family of Mayor Bob Crowell who passed away earlier today. The Mayor’s family, his fellow Board members, City staff and all the residents of Carson City will undoubtably miss him dearly. Between the Carson City School Board and the Mayor’s office, Mayor Crowell served 23 years in public service in the community he grew up in.
He will be remembered for his leadership and dedication to the City he loved so much. Mayor Crowell, who often referred to himself as the ‘Mayor of the greatest City in Nevada’, was a dedicated public servant who led Carson City through the great recession and promoted downtown redevelopment, all while working hard to build a wonderful community in which to live, work and play. We hope everyone will continue to celebrate his life and all that he accomplished for our great City. As Mayor Crowell always said, ‘May our community always be blessed with fair winds and following seas.'”
Mayor Elect, Lori Bagwell stated: “This is a very difficult time for Carson City. The passing of our Mayor, Robert Crowell, is devastating for our citizens and for me as his successor. I know that in a few short months I will have to fill some very big shoes and I can only hope I live up to his lofty expectations.
"Bob Crowell was everything you would want in a Mayor. Compassionate, energetic, thoughtful and yes authoritarian when the situation called for it. Bob was a man of the people.
"Bob led the City through some difficult times as he took the reins into many years of calm. This year was difficult for the Nation, State and our City. We were navigating this pandemic very well with Bob at the helm and he leaves the City in much better shape than we initially expected.
"I will forever miss Bob and I wish the best for his wife, Susan, and his Family. This is a great loss for our Community.”
Supervisor Brad Bonkowski stated: “It is a sad day for the Capital City. Mayor Bob was the finest person I have had the privilege of working alongside. He lived and breathed Carson City, was Carson’s best cheerleader and advocate. On top of that he was a truly honorable and humble person and I am so appreciative of having him as the Mayor these last twelve years. He will be missed so much it is indescribable.”
Supervisor Stacey Giomi stated: “Our community has suffered a great loss. Mayor Crowell was such a statesman, and so dedicated to this community and its citizens. Carson City is a better place because of Bob, and we will miss him deeply.”
Supervisor John Barrette stated: “Mayor Crowell was a good politician and a great mayor who served his community well.”
Prior to being elected mayor, Bob served 11 years on Carson City School Board of Trustees. He twice served as School Board president.
Those who remember Crowell know him as a thoughtful and kind man with a calming, grandfatherly voice, who was dedicated through service to his community and his country.
"He was a wonderful man who devoted his entire life to helping people," said Sheriff Ken Sheriff Furlong. "As a Vietnam War veteran, and through his attorney services, his work on the school district on the board of trustees and as as of mayor — his entire life was devoted to helping people."
Carson City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ronni Hannaman, who worked with alongside of Crowell when he was chairman of the Chamber, said the city has lost a true leader and listener and community statesman.
"The Mayor was one of the kindest, most gentlemanly persons I've ever met, and I've met many people in my career from all over the world," said Hannaman. "He was a major asset to the city and will be sorely missed. In a time when there is so much divisiveness, he is the one who brought everyone together."
Carson City School Superintendent Richard Stokes offered his thoughts: "I first met Mayor Crowell where he was a trustee on the school board where he served three terms. I will always think of him as the greatest Carsonite. He loved the city and loved the schools. He gave so much time and energy for the betterment of all things Carson City and he always did it in a very kind and personable way. I'll miss him dearly."
Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02) on Saturday released the below statement: "I am deeply saddened to learn of Bob’s passing today. As a Vietnam Veteran, retired Navy Captain, and dedicated public servant with a lifetime of achievement, Bob served our country, the State of Nevada, and Carson with dignity, integrity, and honor. Bob was one of Carson’s and Nevada’s finest, and my thoughts go out to his family during this difficult time. He will be sorely missed.”
Crowell is the second Northern Nevada mayor to die in the past month. In August, Sparks Mayor Ron Smith, 71, died after a nearly 2-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
In his capacity as Mayor, Bob served as Carson City’s representative on the Nevada Association of Counties Board of Directors and was that organization’s representative on Board of Indigent Defense Services created by 80th session of the Nevada Legislature and appointed by the Governor. Bob also served as the president of the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities.
He was a member of the Carson City Redevelopment Authority and chaired the Partnership Carson City Advisory Committee. He was the recipient of 2015 DeBoer Award for Distinguished Leadership by an Elected Official from the Nevada Chapter of the American Planning Association for his role in Carson City's Downtown Urban Design Streetscape Project as well as the Robert Broadbent Distinguished Service Award from the Nevada Chapter of the American Public Works Association.
He was a recipient of the Participatory Democracy Award for 2018 from the Nevada Association of Counties, which is its highest award.
Bob was also a retired partner in the statewide law firm, Kaempfer Crowell, with offices in Carson City, Reno and Las Vegas. Prior to retirement, Bob's practice emphasized government relations including legislative affairs, administrative/regulatory matters, ethics in government as well as election and initiative petition law.
He was chosen by fellow lobbyists to be included in the Nevada Lobbyist Hall of Fame and is the recipient of the State Bar of Nevada Presidential Award recognizing a member whose conduct, honesty and integrity represents the highest standards of the legal profession.
Active in his community, Bob served on the Board of Directors for the Carson Area Chamber of Commerce and was past president of that organization. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Northern Nevada Development Authority and was a past president of the Rotary Club of Carson City.
Active in the Silver State, Bob was past president of the State Bar of Nevada having served on its Board of Governors for seven years. He chaired the Nevada Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Board, which oversees Nevada’s continuing legal education program under the direction of the Supreme Court of Nevada.
He was a past member of the Board of Directors of the Nevada Legal Services organization. Bob also served as a member of the Colorado River Commission (a gubernatorial appointment) and twice held the position of Chairman of that agency. The Colorado River Commission is responsible for overseeing Nevada's allocation of water and power from the Colorado River. Bob had served as President of the Board of Indigent Defense Services, a newly created State agency overseeing the provision of indigent defense services in Nevada.
Bob was a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America and a member of that organization’s local Chapter 388. He was honored to be selected to be part of the "first in the country" Honor Flight for Vietnam Veterans by Honor Flight Nevada, as well as a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, American Legion, Marine Corps League Auxiliary and Charter President of the Carson City Council of the Navy League. He was a graduate of the Naval War College short course on war.
Bob earned his undergraduate degree in economics from Stanford University in 1967 and his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Hastings College of the Law in 1973. He was admitted to the State Bar of Nevada in 1973. He was a member of the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers and included in Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Government Relations and Energy Law for the past 25 years. He was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
This is a developing story. We will provide updates as information becomes available.
