Robert Hart

ROBERT HART

Cedar Rapids

1929–2014

Robert Arthur Hart, 85, of Cameron, Mo., was born March 16, 1929, in Leon, Iowa, to Frances (Durell) and Rueben Fletcher Hart. He passed away at the Cameron, Mo., Veterans Home on Sept. 4, 2014.

Bob, as he preferred to be known, started his schooling in a one-room country school, but received most of his of education in Derby, Iowa, graduating from Derby High School in 1947.

He spent the last five summers of his schooling period living with and working for three different farmers.

Upon graduation from high school, he joined the U.S. Army, where he was taught shorthand and served as a court martial clerk. After his discharge from the Army, he returned to Derby and was briefly involved in trucking and a gas station business.

In 1950, he married Donna Barger. They had three children, Cheryl, Jo and Bill.

In 1952, he went to work for Lennox Industry in Des Moines. He commuted from Derby to Des Moines for nine years, working most of the time as a machinist, which became a lifelong hobby.

In 1961, Bob joined the U.S. Postal Service in Kansas City, Mo., serving as a clerk. He served as a city carrier and as supervisor in the Shawnee Mission Post Office. He was postmaster in La Cygne, Kan.; superin-tendent of mail in St. Joseph, Mo.; and postmaster in Rapid City, S.D., and Ottumwa and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Upon retiring in 1988, Bob and Donna moved to Cameron, Mo., to be closer to daughter, Jo, and son, Bill. Bob and Donna spent 21 winters in Apache Junction, Ariz., close to daughter, Cheryl.

In retirement, Bob pursued his hobbies of fishing and working in his shop, where he repaired and made many bikes for his grandkids and the neighborhood kids.

He also was active in Rotary, Lions Club and National Association of Retired Federal Employees. He regularly attended Cameron City Council meetings.

The United Methodist Church and Sunday school were a very important part of his life.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 59 1/2 years, Donna Lee Barger; sister, Darlene Kauffroath; brother, Kenneth; and granddaughter, Amy.

He is survived by his children, Cheryl and Ron Wiens of Scottsdale, Ariz., Jo and Steve Rogers of Tipp City, Ohio, and Bill Hart of Linwood, Kan.; 13 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and close friend, Carolyn Scott of Cameron.

The family thanks Comfort Care Hospice and Missouri Veterans Home for their care.

Services: 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at Cameron United Methodist Church, Cameron, Mo., with visitation one hour before services. Graveside services: 3 p.m. in Goshen Cemetery, Lucas County, Iowa, next to Donna.

Memorial donations to the Cameron United Methodist Church Building Fund, 201 N. Pine, Cameron, MO 64429.

Arrangements by Poland-Thompson Funeral Home, Cameron.

Online condolences: www.polandthompson.com.