Obituary of Robert J. Fuhrmeister Sr.

Robert J. Fuhrmeister Sr., 96, longtime area farmer died Tuesday, September 25, 2018, at the Solon Care Center.

Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10am Monday, October 1, 2018, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Iowa City with burial including Military Honors to follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery.  (Sunday parking ordinance will be in effect for the streets near the church).  Visitation will be on Sunday from 4:30 to 7 pm at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service.  In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made in his memory to Iowa City Hospice.  To share a thought, memory or condolence with his family please visit the funeral home website @www.gayandciha.com.

Robert Joseph Fuhrmeister was born August 13, 1922 in the Newport Twsp. of Johnson County, Iowa the son of Charles and Elizabeth (Semrad) Fuhrmeister.  During WWII he served his country proudly in the United States Army.  On May 4, 1943 he was united in marriage to Gertrude H. Evans at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Iowa City.  For his entire married life he has been a farmer, with Gertrude they farmed in the rural Iowa City/West Branch areas.  He was known to say, “He was not retired but collected Social Security”, could never stop this farmer from farming!

He was a lifetime member of the Solon American Legion, V.F.W., Farm Bureau, Eagles and Moose Lodge, Johnson County Cattleman’s Association and former director on the Board of Cedar County Farm Service.  Robert enjoyed much in life, of course his farming on his “Farmalls”, fishing, traveling, playing cards, mushrooming, visiting with friends and neighbors, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and dancing with his wife of 75 years.  The two of them could be found on most Saturday nights on some dance floor in Eastern Iowa.  Even as they grew older, walkers in front of them, once on the dance floor, no walkers in sight.

His family includes his dance partner, Gertrude; daughters, Donna Heacock (Mark), Mary Henderson, and Carol Poock (Dennis); son, Jerry Fuhrmeister (Cindy); daughter-in-law, Janis Fuhrmeister; 15 grandchildren, Joseph Fuhrmeister (Laura), Brian Fuhrmeister (Lindsey), Glen Fuhrmeister, Michelle Shingledecker, Stephanie Heacock, Nicholas Heacock, Patricia Cleveland (Jerry), Matthew Henderson (Angela), Terry Poock (Karen), Ann Sickmann (Larry), Jeff Fuhrmeister (Ashley) and Lynn Caviness (Ben); 19 great-grandchildren, Bridget and Samuel Fuhrmeister, Lucas and Lucy Fuhrmeister, Cameron and Mitchel Shingledecker, Codey, Caleb and Jacob Heacock, Baylee Heacock, Kelsey Henderson, Natalie Watson (Trey), DeClan Cleveland, Maddox and Atticus Henderson, Braxton and Regan Poock, Zackary and Cooper Sickmann, and Emma and Aiden Fuhrmeister.  He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Robert J. Fuhrmeister; son-in-law, John Henderson; five sisters, Betty Koss, Maxine Hotka, Margarite Carson, and two in infancy, Marcella and Esther; and one brother, Louis Fuhrmeister.

Roberts’s family would like to share a very sincere word of thanks for the entire Solon Care Center and Iowa City Hospice for their care of our special man.  And to Diane at Iowa City Hospice, no words can express our thoughts for you, “thank you”!