Robert F. BERNHARDT

BERNHARDT, KALLMER, KEVAN, WATTS, KIRSTEIN, HILL, ASKELSEN, RAY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/5/2016 at 22:30:27

May 6, 1920 --- April 5, 2016

Robert F. (Bob) Bernhardt, 95, of Clarion passed away Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at the Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion. A Mass of Christian Burial for Robert Bernhardt will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, April 8, 2016 at St. John’s Catholic Church, 608 2nd Avenue North East in Clarion, with Reverend Jerry Blake officiating. Burial will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion. Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with a rosary beginning at 3:45 PM on Thursday, April 7, 2016 at Ewing Funeral Home, 1801 Central Avenue East in Clarion, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Friday.

Bob was born on May 6, 1920. He was the oldest of six children born to Fred and Isabel (Kallmer) Bernhardt. Bob was raised on family farms near Odebolt and Schaller, IA. He attended country school for eight years and graduated from Schaller in 1937. Following high school Bob attended Iowa State College. His education was interrupted by World War II. He served as a Navy pilot on anti-submarine patrol for four years and was discharged in October, 1945.

After being discharged from the Navy, Bob married his high school sweetheart, Lois Kevan. Bob and Lois moved back to Iowa where he finished his BS degree in Agriculture at Iowa State College. Following graduation from ISU, Bob and Lois operated a dairy and hog farm near Harmony, MN. While on the farm Bob served on the Farm Bureau board, Fair board and Clerk of School District. Together Bob and Lois organized a 4-H Club in the township.

Bob was a very devout member of the Catholic Church. As a member of St. John’s in Clarion, he served six years on Church Council and twenty-five years as Lector and Eucharistic Minister. He delivered communion to homebound members and enjoyed being a volunteer at Iowa Specialty Hospital until his recent health decline at age 95.

Bob and his family moved to Clarion in 1962 where Bob served as a 4-H Youth worker and later as County Extension Director for 23 years. One of the fringe benefits of that job was getting to know so many people in Wright County.

Bob will be remembered by his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren for the love he gave them and the faith he shared with them. To this union were born four children – Jeanne (Gary) Watts of Riceville, IA, Judy (the late Phil Kirstein) of Clarion, IA, Ken (Mari) Bernhardt of Clarion, IA and Kevin (Daneen) Bernhardt of Platteville, WI. Bob is survived by thirteen grandchildren – Deana (Sam) Hill, Dana Watts (friend Dan) and Heather Watts; Kent (Kelly) Kirstein, Dean (Abby) Kirstein and Cole (Jen) Kirstein; Jennifer (Troy) Askelsen, Rhonda (Chett) Ray and Mark (Emily) Bernhardt; Joshua, Jacob, Ethan, and Maria Bernhardt. Also to this loving family, seventeen great grandchildren were added so far. Bob was preceded in death by his wife Lois, parents, son-in-law Phil, two brothers, one brother-in-law and one sister-in law. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Iowa Specialty Hospital Foundation.

http://www.ewingfh.com/obituaries/robert-f-bernhardt/