Robert "Bob" Dean Fiddelke

Robert “Bob” Dean Fiddelke, 85, of Sutherland passed away on Saturday March 16 at the Palo Alto County Hospital with his family by his side.  Bob was born on December 15, 1938 to Herman and Sylvia (Holck) Fiddelke.

   Bob spent most of his early life in the Calumet area and graduated from Liberty Township in Calumet in 1957.  He also served his country enlisting in the Army in 1962, being honorably discharged in 1963 in Fort Gordon, Georgia.  Serving during the Cuban Crisis, and the beginning of the Vietnam War.  Bob was also in the Army Reserves until 1967.   Bob met Marilyn Peterson and they married on January 13, 1962 in Hartley, IA.  Bob worked in Cherokee at RC botting for a year then started farming near Paulina in 1965.  He later moved to the home farm near Calumet.  Bob also ran a corn shelling business for many years.  Farming was his life.   He served as a Sunday School superintendent and was an avid church member.   Sunday mornings were for church.

   In 1969, Bob got his pilot’s license.  He and his family flew to many area flight breakfasts.

   After the kids and the livestock were gone, Bob delivered groceries for Hy-Vee for several years and livestock feed for Holco, part time.

   In Bob’s free time you could find him “old time” dancing with Marilyn, and close friends, all over the Midwest.  Bob enjoyed family snowmobile trips and would travel near and far to attend the sporting events of all of his grandchildren.  Family was important to him, and he cherished the time spent together with them.

   Bob was a faithful husband, visiting Marilyn every day at the nursing home for the past two years.

   Bob is proceeded in death by his parents Herman & Sylvia Fiddelke.

   Left to cherish his memories are his wife, Marilyn, of 62 years; his children Robin (Joel) Thomsen of Cylinder, IA; Pamela (Harold) Kruger of Lake Park, IA; Jason (Beth) Fiddelke of Del Rapids, SD; sister Barbara (Gene) Eby of Spencer, IA; brother Richard (Betty) of Omaha, NE; 6 grandchildren, nieces, nephews, family and friends.