Robert O. Link

LINK, STUEHLMEYER, FULLER, SILVER, BEDFORD, LEDESMA, ROBERTS, SCOTT, MUSTARD, CHOPARD, YOUNG, NAUMAN, RICHARDS, STECKLEIN

Posted By: Cindy (email)
Date: 11/4/2008 at 21:14:10

OELWEIN, Iowa -- Robert O. Link, 82, of Oelwein, died Monday morning, Sept. 29, 2008, at Mercy Living Plus, Oelwein, after a lengthy illness.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 3, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Oelwein, with the Rev. Harry Koelker officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Oelwein, where military rites will be accorded by Ross Reid American Legion Post 9 Honor Guard. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home, Oelwein, where there will be a parish scripture service at

7:30 p.m.

He was born on Jan. 22, 1926, in Dubuque, son of Leo A. and Elsie (Stuehlmeyer) Link. He graduated from Dubuque Senior High School.

He married Marian Evelyn Fuller on Oct. 21, 1950, at

St. Columbkille Catholic Church in Dubuque.

Bob was especially proud of his service during World War II, when he served with the 8th Air Force 492 BG out of Harrington Air Force Base in England. He was a waist gunner on a B-24 Liberator flying night missions over Europe from 1943 to 1945.

Bob was employed for 35 years with Northwestern Bell Telephone Co., with 17 of those years in Oelwein as district manager until his retirement in December 1981. After retirement, Bob owned and operated Bob-O-Links Lounge and Pizza Nook in Oelwein for several years.

He was very active in community activities in Oelwein for many years, which included the Ross Reid American Legion Post 9, Knights of Columbus-Oelwein Council, past president of the Oelwein Lions Club, past president of the Oelwein Community School Board, member of the Oelwein Rotary Club, Boy Scouts, Oelwein Industrial Development Corporation, past president of the Oelwein Chamber of Commerce and the Oelwein 4th of July committee.

Surviving are his wife, Marian Link of Oelwein; eight children, Mary (Steve) Silver, of Oelwein, Cynthia (Duane) Bedford, of Russell, Sue (Tim) Ledesma, Margaret Link, Christopher (Sharon) Link, and Terence (Cathy) Link, all of Oelwein, Jennifer (Tim) Roberts, of Brownsville, Wis., and Jacqueline (Kirk) Scott, of Hiawatha; 15 grandchildren, Eric (Joanna) Silver, Amy (Jason) Chopard, Rochelle (Dan) Mustard, Brian Ledesma, Zachary (Andrea) Bedford, Ashley Bedford, Matthew Bedford, Joshua (Annette) Link, Ryan Link, Nick Link, Adam Link, Kelsey Link, Michael Roberts, Laura Roberts and Ian Roberts; five great-grandchildren, Ashlyn and Andrew Mustard, Genevieve Chopard, Alexa Bedford, and Elijah Silver; and two sisters, Lorraine Young and Patricia (Ronald) Nauman, both of Dubuque.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Bernice Richards; a brother, Kenneth Link; and a niece, Kelli .

Memorials may be given in his name to Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Heart of Iowa Hospice.