PLAGER, Robert S. 1884-1964

PLAGER, KNOLL, KEITER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 2/24/2015 at 08:10:37

Robert S. Plager Prominent Palermo Farmer Is Dead

Robert S. Plager, 79, prominent Palermo township cattle feeder and farmer, past president of the Grundy County Fair Association and former Grundy County Republican chairman, died early Saturday at Allen Memorial hospital.

He had been in failing health for some time, but remained active in his business affairs until a few months ago.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday at the First Baptist church in Grundy Center, with Rev. Calvin Rumley in charge. Burial was in the Grundy Center cemetery.

The deceased was born November 14, 1884 in Colfax township, the son of Henry and Chrissie Knoll Plager.

He received his formal education attending rural school in Colfax township. He graduated from Grundy Center High School, and later attended Cedar Rapids Business College and Iowa State University.

Mr. Plager was united in marriage to Clara B. Keiter on February 12, 1908, at Grundy Center and to this union was blessed three daughters and two sons.

Prior to 1904 he farmed with his father, and from 1904 to 1907 he engaged in farming in partnership with his late brother, Lewis W. Plager. For more than the past 50 years he owned an extensive farming and cattle operation in Palermo township five miles west of Grundy Center.

He was a member of the First Baptist church, Masonic lodge, and Grundy Center Rotary club, and was president of the Grundy Center Cemetery Association.

Mr. Plager was a past president of the Grundy County Fair Association, former chairman of the Grundy County Republican party central committee, past Palermo township trustee, former township and district school board director, past director and president of the Farmers Co-operative Elevator Company of Grundy Center, and was a former member of the Grundy Center Community Club.

He is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Walter Robinson and Mrs. Edward Kammerer of Waterloo and Mrs. Raymond Mertz of Grundy Center; two sons, Dr. Vernon H. Palger of Waterloo and A. Eugene Plager of Grundy Center, who has been associated with his father in farming for a number of years.

Also surviving are 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, who passed away in September, 1961, his parents, two brothers and three sisters.

Pall bearers were L. S. Kupka, B. K. Wiloughby, Glenn Brown, Lyle Doak, William Groote and Floyd DeSellhorst.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 20 February 1964, pg 8