Losure, Robert F (1925-2015)

LOSURE, JANSEN, POPP, SCHAEFFER, DUUS, DIETMEIER, MARTTILA, BRANDT, POLIMER

Posted By: Colleen J Ossman (email)
Date: 8/21/2015 at 20:49:37

July 31, 2015
The Daily Freeman Journal

Robert Francis Losure

1925 - 2015

A celebration of life gathering will be held for Robert "Bob" Losure on Sunday, August 9, 2015 at 2:00 pm in the Speer Room at Reiman Gardens on the ISU campus, 1407 University Blvd., Ames Iowa, with Mary Swander officiating. Bob passed away peacefully the morning of May 19, 2015 at The Madrid Home in Madrid, Iowa, two weeks and two days after having been joined by family and friends in celebration of his 90th birthday.

Son of John and Mary (Jansen) Losure, Bob was born May 3, 1925 in a farm house in Sac County, Iowa. He grew up in rural Sac County and graduated from Sac City High School. To the end of his life some of his fondest memories were of boyhood hours spent roaming river woodlands in the company of his German shepherd "Smoky", and of the friendship of his three older sisters. He honored his parents by having their graves decorated annually to the end of his life.

Bob met Joyce Nelma Popp as his family attended the Sac City church where her father, Asa Popp, was pastor, and they were wed on December 24, 1947 in Sac City, IA, with Asa officiating. For nine years they lived on and farmed rental ground near his father's farm north of Lake View, Iowa, before settling on a farm they purchased about five miles south of Blairsburg, Iowa, to raise their family and tend their pig faming operation. Before his marriage, Bob served in the Marines during WWII, stationed in Hawaii and Japan, while Joyce taught in one room country schools. On returning to civilian life he briefly attended ISU where he considered pursuing physics and chemistry but decided to devote himself to farming.

Bob and Joyce were members of the United Church of Christ in Blairsburg, and he was a member of the American Legion post in Webster City. He loved travel and adventure and he and Joyce took road trips to the east and west coasts with their children to keep in touch with relatives, and also took his family on several lengthy canoe trips deep into state and provincial forests along and north of the Canadian border. On those endeavors there was always some situation that was salvaged or enhanced by Bob's engineering skills. From taking apart and repairing a carburetor at night with only pliers and a fingernail file along a western highway, to taking advantage of a strong wind running the length of a very long Canadian lake by rigging a mast and boom of saplings and stitching two ponchos into a sail with toothpicks, there was never a challenge that daunted him long.

Bob is survived by his children, David Losure and his wife Mary Schaeffer-Losure of Kamrar IA, Donald Losure and his wife Mary of St. Paul MN, and Walter Losure and his wife Karen Duus of Henderson NV, as well as his sister Joyce Dietmeier, of Lexington, Massachusetts. He is also survived by his grandson, David Losure and his wife Heidi Marttila-Losure of Frederick SD, grandson Michael Losure of Pasadena CA, and great grandchildren Sofia and Erik Losure of Frederick SD.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and sisters Eleanor Brandt and Ruth Polimer.

Though physically impaired by the ravages of time, Bob maintained his mental abilities and a wonderfully wry and understated sense of humor. He also remained giving. On being visited during his last weeks by a relative with a border collie he insisted that the dog be presented to a minimally conversant, wheelchair bound fellow resident for petting, saying that she (the collie) does more good than she knows. To the very end he was wanting to help others, and to share the few good things he had left.

Hamilton Obituaries maintained by Lynn McCleary.
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