Robert Pitzen

STACYVILLE - Robert Pitzen, 89, of Stacyville, died Sunday (Feb. 3, 2008) at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 8, at Visitation Catholic Church in Stacyville. Burial will be in Visitation Cemetery, Stacyville.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Visitation Catholic Church with a rosary at 4 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m.

Robert "Bob" A. Pitzen was born Dec. 29, 1918, on the family farm of Frederich and Christina (Smith) Pitzen. He was the youngest of nine children. He graduated from Visitation High School in 1938. He married Olivia May on Oct. 9, 1943. They took over his parents' farm north of Stacyville where they raised 10 children. In 1980 they moved into Stacyville.

Bob was very active in his community, serving on the school, Co-op Creamery and fire department boards. He was a member of Knights of Columbus, Catholic Foresters and Farm Bureau. He was a DHIA milk supervisor, cemetery sexton and a 4-H leader. He was a progressive farmer. In 1956 he added a modern milking parlor.

He was one of the first pork producers to raise pathogen-free hogs. He maintained a lifelong interest in draft horses. In his retirement Bob developed a love for woodworking. His favorite project was constructing model wagons with harnessed teams in pull.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Olivia; his parents, four brothers and four sisters.

He is survived by two daughters, Rose (James ) Kruger of Grafton, and Karen Bisson of Somerset, Wis., and friend, Jim Holmberg; eight sons, Daniel (Linda) of Wooster, Ohio, Dale (Ann) of Rochdale, Mass., Leon of Monticello, Minn., Lloyd of Hampton, Va., Quentin (Rita) of Iowa City, Kenneth (Val) of Stacyville, Keith (Marilyn) of Stacyville, and Jerry (Laura) of Farmington, Minn.; 26 grandchildren, Jeffrey Pitzen, Beth (Brad) McIlrath, James (Amy) Pitzen, Becky (Ron) Schmidt, Charles Pitzen, Jennifer (David) West, Christina (Dan) Cody, Melissa, Andrew (Elena) and Kate Pitzen, Robert (Lyndsey), Nicholas and William Pitzen, Jessica Dell, Amber and Adam Pitzen, Randi Pitzen, Jameson (Holly) Kruger, Jessena and Lindsey Kruger, Mathew Pitzen, Heidi (Weston) Wolven, Benjamin Pitzen, Jacqueline Bisson, Dylan and Allison Pitzen; 10 great-grandchildren, Jacob and Isaac Schmidt, Timmothy Pitzen, Madeline Pitzen, Wesley and Caroline Cody, Sofia Pitzen, Christa Dell, Hannah and Zack Kruger; in-laws, Mary Pitzen, Verena Pitzen, Regina May, Evelyn Brumm, Fritz (Dorothy) May, Tony May, Joe Martyniak, Irma May; and many nieces and nephews.

Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, 641-713-4920.