JORGENSEN, Robert LeRoy 1921-2007

JORGENSEN, HINER, OLSON, KOTEWA, MCCONNELL, HOPFE

Posted By: K. L. Kittleson (email)
Date: 12/14/2007 at 17:02:04

Robert Jorgensen, 86, of Osage, Mitchell County, Iowa, died on Wednesday, December 5, 2007, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Olmsted County, Minnesota. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, December 11, 2007, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Osage. Burial was in the Osage Cemetery.

Robert LeRoy Jorgensen was born on September 18, 1921, in Osage, Iowa, to Victor and Rose (Hiner) Jorgensen. He was baptized and confirmed at the First United Methodist Church in Osage.

He attended Osage schools, was a member of the Class of 1939, but graduated with Class of 1940, due to the scarlet fever epidemic of that time.

Robert married Helen C. Olson, the girl next door, on June 30, 1945, in her family home in Osage, where they lived for the next 61 years--prior to his moving to the Evergreen Apartments in December of 2006. He became a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church after his marriage.

Following Robert's high school graduation, he owned and operated a gas station on North Seventh Street in Osage, and later worked at the Oliver factory in Charles City. He then became the owner and operator of the Red Owl grocery store on East Main Street in Osage, after which he worked for Gildner's Clothing (now Fleming's) and was employed by the Waterloo Courier. Later, Robert was employed at White Farm in Charles City as an inventory production and ordering clerk until his retirement. He also held a real estate broker's license. Robert was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and the Conservation Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and by his wife Helen, in 1999.

Survivors include a daughter, Julia Ann (Larry) Kotewa of Peoria, Illinois; a son, Robert Carl Jorgensen of Minneapolis, Minnesota; a daughter, Helen Christine (Richard) McConnell of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; seven grandchildren: Christopher (Kristi) McConnell of Chicago, Illinois, Ben (Louisa) McConnell of Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, Amber McConnell of Cedar Rapids, Iowa,Patrick McConnell of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Erik (Jamie) Kotewa of Champaign, Illinois, Caleb Kotewa of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Aaron Kotewa of Jackson Hole, Wyoming; four great-grandchildren; one sister, Phyllis Hopfe of Austin, Minnesota; and one niece, Sherri (Randy) Franke of Woodbury, Minnesota.

The funeral arrangements were handled by Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage; (641)732-3706.

Memorials may be given to Our Savior's Lutheran Church or to the Cedar River Recreation and Fine Arts Center.