Robert ‘Bob’ Hrdlicka

Robert “Bob” Hrdlicka, 81, of Charles City, passed away Monday, Nov. 23, 2020 at the Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City due to COVID-19.

A private funeral mass will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Charles City. The funeral mass will be live streamed on the Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home Facebook page and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Facebook page at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery.

Robert J. Hrdlicka was born on May 23, 1939 in rural Howard County to the late Joseph and Nettie (Frana) Hrdlicka, the third child of four. He received his 8th grade education in a one room school, Paris #5. Upon his graduation from 8th grade, he was required to help out on his parent’s farm and also do jobs in the neighborhood.

In 1959, he started working at the Oliver tractor plant in Charles City as a forklift operator. After getting laid off, he enlisted in the United States Army in 1961 and received his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO as wheel mechanic maintenance. He served from 1962 to 1964 with the 14th Armored Cavalry in Germany. Their mission was to patrol the East/West German border. He also trained as a track mechanic. He received his GED and was Honorably Discharged as SP5 in 1964. He then returned to his job at the Oliver.

May 1, 1965, he married the love of his life, Sara Baxter. They were parents of 2 children, Lisa (Herb) Wamboldt and Michael (Melanie) Hrdlicka. Bob and Sara farmed south of Colwell while he was employed at Oliver until all employees were terminated in 1993. They continued farming, raised and sold feeder pigs, and sold seeds. In 1999, going down financially, he decided to get a job but who would hire a 59 year old, blue collar worker? Lyle Schlader did and he worked for Allied Red-Mix as a dump truck driver until his retirement in 2009. Bob would always say, “Lyle’s my hero.”

Bob and Sara were Foster parents, a presenting team for Worldwide Marriage Encounter, presenting weekends in Iowa and Wisconsin. They served as Executive Couple twice, first with Fr. Paul Ouderkirk, and second term with Fr. Lou Jaeger. In 1993 they were WWME Convention coordinator at Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa along with Fr. Paul Ouderkirk.

Bob was very active at Immaculate Conception parish as an usher, greeter, Eucharistic Minister, rosary leader, lector and Presider of Word and Communion. He enjoyed taking communion to Cedar Health, Riverside, and the homebound. For 7 years, every Monday, Bob and Sara took day old bread and pastries from Hy-Vee to the food pantry.

He loved to wait on Sara and adored his children and grandchildren, singing “You Are My Sunshine” on their birthdays. He enjoyed playing cards, dancing, listening to bluegrass and old time music. Monday night was WWE Monday Night Raw. Starting in 2014, he started taking bus trips, including pilgrimages with one trip to EWTN with 25 women and 2 priests. He would say, “All I have to do is focus on Sara.”

He is survived by his wife Sara of 55 years; daughter, Lisa (Herb) Wamboldt and children, Emily, Katie, and Aly of Fairfax, Virginia; son, Michael (Melanie) Hrdlicka and children, Jarek, Kaden, Mehgan, Landyn and Paxton of Daphne, Alabama; brothers, Al (Mildred) Hrdlicka of Elma, and Jim (Linda) Hrdlicka of Protivin; sister, Ann Franzen of Waucoma; sister-in-law, Margaret (Ray) Steinhart of Wisconsin; along with many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his brothers and sisters-in-law: Len and Leona Baxter, Linus Franzen, Bob and Catherine (Baxter) Irons, John and Marge Baxter, Don and Lorraine (Baxter) Skrypek, Dave and Ruth (Baxter) Rainey.

Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, 1205 South Main Street, Charles City, Iowa 50616 is in charge of local arrangements.  Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall for the family at www.hauserfh.com.