HEITLAND, Roger Dean

HEITLAND, KOENEN, BUNK, RODRIGUEZ, ENO, FISCHER

Posted By: Sharon R. Becker (email)
Date: 5/2/2014 at 05:21:43

Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

Obituary - Roger Dean Heitland
September 29, 1933 ~ August 06, 2012

Roger Heitland, 78, of Thornton passed away Monday, Aug. 6, 2012, at Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 10, at First Reformed Church in Meservey with the Rev. Rodney Meester presiding. Interment with Veterans Honors by Anton-Juhl Post #440 American Legion will be at Pleasant View Cemetery, Thornton.

Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Retz Funeral Home, Thornton.

Roger Dean Heitland was born Sept. 29, 1933, on the family farm, a son of Henry and Emma (Koenen) Heitland. He attended and graduated from Thornton High School.

Roger served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and returned to Thornton to farm after his discharge.

On Dec. 27, 1960, Roger was united in marriage with Alice Bunk at the Christian Reformed Church. They made their home on the family farm where they raised their four children as Alice taught school and Roger continued to farm, raising cattle and doing custom work digging for many cemeteries and trenching and footings for projects in the area.

Roger was a lifelong member of the First Reformed Church in Meservey where he served as an elder, deacon and as the church treasurer for 25 years. He was a member of the Anton-Juhl American Legion Post #440 in Thornton.

Roger was a hard worker who took great pride in the appearance of the cemeteries he worked for. He loved animals, and caring for his cattle was truly enjoyable for him. Many will remember the annual field trips school students took to his farm to learn about and get rides on the many antique tractors he restored.

Roger's family includes his wife of 51 years, Alice; son, Dennis Heitland, Thornton; daughter, Julie Heitland, Mason City; sons, Tony (Erin) Heitland, Thornton; Loren (fiancé Fran Rodriguez) Heitland, Thornton; and granddaughter Rilley Heitland.

He is preceded in death by his parents; sister and brother-in-law, Arlene and Walt Eno; brother-in-law, Bill Fischer; and brother, Ardell.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2014