Robert Helle

ROBERT HELLE

Cedar Rapids

Robert J. Helle, 59, of Cedar Rapids, formerly of Dyersville, was called to his heavenly home on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at the Dennis & Donna Oldorf Hospice House in Hiawatha. Visitation will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday, July 31, at Kramer Funeral Home, 750 12th Ave. SW, Dyersville, where a parish vigil service will be held at 4:30 p.m. Visitation will continue from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, before the funeral service. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville. Inurnment will be at a later date. The Rev. Jeffrey Dole will officiate.

Guests are invited to record their favorite memory of Bob on a 3x5 index card and bring it to the visitation for the family to cherish in the difficult days ahead.

Bob was born in Manchester to Donald and Ardella (Deppe) Helle on Oct. 6, 1955. He grew up on the family farm near Dyersville, Iowa, with his three siblings. Bob graduated from Beckman High School and later Business Institute of Technology in Cedar Falls.

On Nov. 17, 1984, Bob married Cindy Chapin in Waterloo. They resided in Waterloo and Mount Pleasant. In 1990, Bob began working in Cedar Rapids where they made their home for the past 25 years. Bob worked for Iowa Interstate Railroad, Crandic Railway and McLeodUSA. Bob was the director of MIS at Iowa Interstate Railroad until his diagnosis of cancer in November 2014.

Together Bob and Cindy proudly raised one son, Grant Helle. They also had an extended family, housing several Rough-Rider hockey players and a foreign exchange student from Germany.

In addition to his wife and son, Bob is survived by his parents, Donald and Ardella Helle of Dyersville; his siblings, Ken (Rita) Helle of Dyersville and Loras (Glenda) Helle of Sergeant Bluff; a

brother-in-law, Jerome Heims of Ryan; brothers and sisters-in-law, Carol (Tom) Bruch of Cedar Rapids, Marlene May of New Hampton, Esther (Cy) Burlage of Cedar Falls, Rosalyn (Melvin) Miller of Ionia, A.J. (Kelly) Meyer of Decorah, Steve (Virjean) Chapin of New Hampton, Larry (Mary) Chapin of Nebraska City, Neb., and Ken Rowley of Charles City; and many nieces and nephews.

Bob was preceded in death by his sister, Dianne Heims; father and mother-in-law, Lynn and Rosemary Chapin; and a sister-in-law, Mary Rowley.

Bob would like to thank everyone for their support and care, especially University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Hospice of Mercy and Ken Helle, Steve Wieditz, Ellen Kurt, Ross Peffer for the many trips to Iowa City.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.