Rhodes, Robert E. 'Bob'

Robert E.”Bob” Rhodes, 87, longtime resident of Iowa City, died Monday, Dec. 24, 2012. Funeral services will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Iowa City, with burial to follow at St. Joseph's Cemetery. (Sunday Parking Ordinance will be in effect for the streets near the church.) Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service, where a parish vigil service will be held at 7 p.m.

Robert was born Nov. 22, 1925, in Kalona, Iowa, the son of Frank and Lavanda (Preston) Rhodes. He attended schools in the Kalona/Sharon Center areas. Before he was able to graduate he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. Following the service he returned to this area, where he was united in marriage to Mary T. “Hopie” Kaspar on Oct. 19, 1949, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Iowa City. Robert enjoyed a number of jobs in his lifetime: as a truck driver for Ruan, in the auto parts business for a number of businesses in Iowa City, McComas-Lacina Construction, and as the driver delivering smiles from Heaven Scent Flowers in Coralville. Throughout this time for many years he also owned and operated RR Sharpening Service.

Bob enjoyed life and accomplished much; that which he was most proud of was going back to high school to receive his diploma from City High School in 1967. He was the first person at St. Mary's Church to be trained as an Eucharistic Minister. He was also proud to support Regina Schools by serving on the Sports Boosters and filming varsity football games for many years. He was also an avid Iowa Hawkeye football and Hawkeye women's basketball fan, as well as a Chicago Cubs and Bears fan. Bob liked working in the garden, tending to his roses, working in his wood shop, or sharpening anything that needed some attention to it. But most dear to him was his family; he was a Boy Scout leader, baseball coach for many years, always there to support any of his children in all their activities, and as he became a grandfather, he was all smiles sitting in the bleachers with Hopie cheering on their grandkids, he dearly loved his family to the last breath he took!

His family includes his children: Linda and her husband, Jerry Brumley, of Iowa City; Diane and her husband, Bruce Meyer, of Marion; Cindy and her husband, Mike Neuzil, of Iowa City; Bev and her husband, Ron Wenman, of Coralville; Susan Elder of Sullivan, Ill.; Bob Rhodes and his fiancee, Terry Nevells, of Bangor, Maine; and Randy and his wife, Karen Rhodes, of Batavia, Ill.; 13 grandchildren, Aron Meyer (Cassi Meyerhoffer), Tiffany Elgin (Ryan), Courtney Mitchell (David), Shannon Neuzil, Danielle Hawsare (Jacob), Corey Rhodes, Kim Vogelgesang (Jason), Kelly Wenman, Ryan Rhodes, Kristin Rhodes, Rachel Rhodes, Jessica Elder and Justin Elder; two great-grandchildren, Brody and Andrew Elgin; sisters, Margaret Bontrager of Colorado Springs, Colo., Marjorie Gingerich of Parnell and Wanda Miller of Kalona; a brother, John Rhodes of Boise, Idaho; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Hopie; and an infant granddaughter.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Robert's memory to Iowa City Hospice, Iowa City Regina Foundation, or the American Cancer Society.

Online condolences may be sent for his family through the Web at www.gayandciha.com.

Published Dec. 27, 2012 in The Gazette