Mass of Christian Burial for Robert Hemann will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 26 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Emmetsburg. The Rev. Bill Schreiber will officiate. Visitation will be held 9:30-11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 26 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Emmetsburg. A Celebration of Life and Inurnment will be held at a later date at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Osage, Iowa.
Robert Nicholas Hemann was born Dec. 30, 1932 in Stacyville, Iowa to Anton and Alvina (May) Hemann. He was the sixth of seven children born to his family. Bob attended Stacyville Visitation Catholic School through eighth grade. He then helped on the family farm until he joined the U.S. Army in 1953. Bob served in Europe for one and a half years driving a 2.5 ton truck throughout Europe, mostly in France. He would sleep on the top of the canvas cover. Bob was honorably discharged in 1955.
After being discharged from the service Bob returned home and began working for his future father-in-law on the farm. On June 2, 1955 Bob was united in marriage to Mary F. Schultheis and they made their home east of Osage where they farmed. Bob and Mary loved to square dance! To this union six children were born. In 1962 their last son, Joseph was stillborn and shortly after, Mary was diagnosed with encephalitis, passing away in September of that year.
Bob met Maureen (Millea) Ortman when her car broke down in front of Bob’s home on Highway 9. In 1965 Bob and Maureen were married. Maureen was previously widowed and brought two children to join the union. Bob and Maureen then had one child together.
Bob had a strong work ethic, getting up early each morning to milk his dairy cattle. He instilled this work ethic in his children, teaching them the importance of doing a job well and in a timely manner. When the work was complete, Bob was ready to have fun. He worked for many years as a carpenter, working for various businesses in Emmetsburg, but his love for farming never ended. Bob’s last place of employment was the Emmetsburg Lumber and when it closed, he told his family he was “not retired, just unemployed.”
Bob was a faithful member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Emmetsburg. As a child, Bob was a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters and as an adult, the Knights of Columbus.
Bob loved baseball and softball and played on several teams over the years in Stacyville and Osage. He coached wrestling at Sacred Heart School in Osage, enjoyed fishing with friends and adored his grandchildren, always attending their events if at all possible. Bob loved to play cards and games. He was always on time, never late for anything, and expected others to follow suit.
Bob passed away Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023 at the Emmetsburg Care Center at the age of 90. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Joseph; his first wife, Mary Hemann; his parents, Anton and Alvina Hemann; Mary’s parents, Harold and Erna Schultheis; Maureen’s parents, Hillary and Lillian Millea; sisters, Alice (Roman) Gerk and Irene (Alden) Small; brothers, Marvin (Dorothy) Hemann, Harold (Helen) Hemann, Vernon (Diane) Hemann, Don Hemann; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Dick Lybarger, Katheryn and Mel Schmuecker, Ray Klaes and Elizabeth McDermott; and Maureen’s two brothers and six sisters.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Maureen of Emmetsburg; eight children, Mark (Cheryl) Hemann of Osage, Denny (Jean) Hemann of Osage, Lynda (Dale) Hoffman of Saint Ansgar, Iowa, Sharon (Rodney) Anderson of Osage, Joyce (Roland) Hamerlinck of Emmetsburg, John (Espie) Hemann of Emmetsburg, JoAnn Hemann of Centennial, Colorado, and Terry (Tessa) Hemann of Spencer; twenty grandchildren; twenty-six great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Roma Hemann, Lorraine Klaes and Dennis McDermott; Maureen’s siblings, Bob Millea, Madeline Lynch and Betty Millea; nieces and nephews; as well as many other relatives and friends.
Arrangements were made by Martin-Mattice Funeral Home.
Condolences can be left at
www.martinmattice
funeralhome.com
