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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Berntsen, Robert Henry
Robert Henry Berntsen, 92, of Cedar Rapids (formerly of Belle Plaine), passed away April 14, 2010, at Northbrook Manor Care Center in Cedar Rapids following a short illness.
Survivors include his wife, Cleone Berntsen; three sons, Bernie (Carol) and Dick (Pat) of Marion and Larry (Lina) of Portland, Ore.; daughters, Linda Wilfong (Joe) of Overland Park, Kan., and Cathy Berntsen-Fox of Iowa City; stepsons, Harold Pike (Kay) of Fayetteville, Ark., and Tom Pike of Cedar Rapids; and stepdaughter, Shirley Pike (Mike Hemmingson) of Marion. He had 22 grandchildren and 30 ½ great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers; and wife, Loretta.
He graduated from Lone Tree High School in 1934. He attended radar training school in Kansas City and in 1943, he was married to Loretta Dougherty in Lone Tree, then went into the Navy as a radar instructor. After discharge in 1945, he owned and operated the Standard Oil tank wagon service in Belle Plaine until 1976, after which he worked at Citizens State Bank in Belle Plaine until retirement in 1981. In 1998, he was married to Cleone Pike.
His hobbies and interests included travel, reading, golf, fishing, bowling and driving Buicks. He was an active member of the American Legion, Lions Club and Knights of Columbus. He was an avid follower of Belle Plaine High School sporting events and ran with the chain gang at football games for a number of years. He also enjoyed being a regular member of the “morning coffee” group at the Lincoln Cafe. He was an enthusiastic family man who enjoyed being involved with the activities of children and grandchildren. He always had a story to tell or a message to deliver and had worthwhile advice to offer, when asked. He will be missed.
The visitation will be today from 4 to 7 p.m. at Hrabak Funeral Home in Belle Plaine, where there will be a Scripture service at 6:30 p.m. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Michaels Catholic Church in Belle Plaine. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery, Belle Plaine, with military rites.
Memorials may be sent to the American Heart Association.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at under “obituaries.”
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