Roman Leonard Dankbar (1922-2015)

DANKBAR, PILLE, OROURKE, SCHAFER

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 2/10/2015 at 17:56:06

Obituary From Adams Soderstrum Funeral Home, Story County, Iowa.

Roman Leonard Dankbar was born on August 28, 1922 on the family farm south of Haverhill, Iowa. His father and mother were Henry and Elizabeth (Pille) Dankbar. Roman was the youngest of 12 children with 7 sisters and 4 brothers. Roman attended St. Joseph’s Elementary School at Immaculate Conception Parish in Haverhill and Laurel High School and graduated in 1940.

When Roman was 13 years old, his parents retired from farming and his brother Raymond took over the family farm. Roman stayed on to help his older brother and lived with Raymond and his wife, Eleanor, during high school. Roman attended college at Iowa State University. After one year there, he enlisted in the Army Air Corp where he went on to be a bombardier on a B24 (the “Badger Beauty”). He was a decorated veteran who flew 50 missions in the European theater.

After returning from service, Roman went on his first date with his future wife, Audrey, who he had known in grade school. They went to the Policeman’s Ball at the Coliseum Ballroom in 1946. The two were married on June 23, 1947. Roman completed his college education at Iowa State with a degree in Civil Engineering.

Roman worked as a civil engineer designing for the Illinois Central Railroad in Mississippi and Tennessee, and then for the Pittsburgh/Des Moines Steel Company. He was a member of the design team on the St Louis Arch that worked on the interior cable cars of the St Louis Arch. He later worked for the Iowa Department of Transportation on the interstate system eventually transferring to the Federal Highway Administration, retiring in 1986.

Although busy with his work as an engineer, Roman’s love of farming never left him. To that end, he purchased land northwest of Ames, Iowa and continued to keep his hands in the soil.
Roman and Audrey lived throughout the country in Tennessee, Mississippi, Illinois, Iowa and Virginia. Throughout these travels they had three wonderful children.

Following Roman’s retirement, they lived in Ames, Iowa enjoying family, friends and golf. Roman was also infamous for his love of bacon and eggs; on any given day, one could usually find him at Village Inn. In September, 2010, Roman and Audrey moved to Minnetonka, MN to the St. Therese retirement community.

Roman died peacefully on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at 92 years of age.

Roman is survived by his three children, Elizabeth (Don) O’Rourke II, of Morrow, OH, William (Molly) Dankbar, of Bloomington, MN, and Diane (Richard) Schafer, of Omaha, NE; eight grandchildren, Donald J. (Nichole) O’Rourke III, Christopher (Tammy) O’Rourke, Lisa O’Rourke, Edward (Jamie) Dankbar, Andrew Dankbar, Kathleen Dankbar, Catherine Schafer, Teresa Schafer; and four great-grandchildren, Grant, Audrey, Alison, and Aaron O’Rourke.

Roman was preceded in death by his parents and all his siblings.

Roman maintained a strong Catholic Faith and devotion to St Jude throughout his 92 years. His participation at daily mass, the daily rosary and Eucharistic Adoration is an example of his faith and belief in God that his children and family will not forget.

Roman struggled these last years with Alzheimer's, but was sustained by the love of family and friends that he shared with you throughout his life. He is and will always remain in our hearts.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's’ Association or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

JAN 12 A Mass of Christian Burial 10:30AM
St. Cecilia Catholic Church
2900 Hoover Ave.
Ames, IA, US, 50010

JAN 12 Graveside Service 02:00PM
Immaculate Comception Cemetery
100 1st St.
Haverhill, IA, US, 50120

http://www.adamssoderstrum.com/
 

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