Robert John Daiker

Robert “Bob” Daiker passed away peacefully on November 18, at the age of 88. He was born April 5, 1937 in Perham, Minnesota to Joseph and Alta (Thompson) Daiker. The family moved to St. Paul when he was five years old, where he attended St. Columba Catholic School and proudly served as an altar boy. He missed Perham, though, and treasured the memories of returning in the summers to help on his grandparents’ farm.

When his dad died in 1949, his mom moved the family to Austin, Minnesota. From that point on, Bob had to work to help support the family. First, he delivered newspapers, and by the age of 14 was working at Knauer’s Market, where his interest in the grocery industry and meat cutting began. While working, he kept up with school and graduated from Austin High School in 1955. After graduation, he continued working full-time at Knauer’s until he was offered a position with Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store. He worked his way to eventually becoming store manager.

In 1955, Bob met the love of his life, Harriet Staley, on a blind date. They were married on September 28, 1957 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Owatonna. They began their married life in Austin, Minnesota and bought their first house in 1958. In 1965, they adopted their first child, Kelly, and in 1968, adopted their second daughter, Kim.

After managing grocery stores in both Austin and Faribault for a number of years, Bob took a job at Hormel. He worked there until the meatpackers’ strike of 1985-86. After the strike, he took a delivery driver position with Continental Baking, so Bob and Harriet moved to Rochester, MN. He was promoted several times and rounded out his career there as a district sales manager. Bob and Harriet retired to Perham, MN in 1997, but Bob wasn’t quite done working yet. He was a morning cashier at Main Street Express in Perham for several more years, where he enjoyed meeting new people and reconnecting with distant relatives.

Bob always had a story to tell and loved meeting new people. He liked to stay active and participated in various activities throughout his life. He was a longtime member of the Austin Eagles Club, serving as president for a time, and was once named Eagle of the Year. He played in softball and bowling leagues. He enjoyed camping, playing cards, horseshoes, and lawn darts. Bob was a loyal Vikings and Twins fan, no matter how disappointing their seasons may have been. He was an avid fisherman and looked forward every year to fishing with his buddies on Lac La Croix on the Canadian side of the Boundary Waters. He hunted and was often called upon to help butcher the deer his friends and family shot. He enjoyed outdoor work and kept a meticulous yard. In retirement, he built bird houses and wooden wagons as gifts and to sell. Surely, many are still displayed in yards around the area.

Bob was a devoted grandfather and loved teaching his three grandsons Jeremy, Ben, and Sam to fish. They all spent many happy hours on the boat together, whether they caught anything or not. He also taught the boys how to perform all of the chores that go along with lake living. For example, even when they were very young, the boys knew there would be no bonfire until they’d collected all of the fallen twigs and branches from the dozens of oak trees on the property. They learned to work together and get the job done. When Bob got older and the work at the lake became more difficult for him, the boys stepped in to help him. He left them a legacy of the value of hard work and the satisfaction of doing a job well.

Bob and Harriet enjoyed 23 years living on the shores of Big Pine Lake before moving into an apartment in town in 2020. They were married for over 63 years, and he missed her terribly after she died in 2021. To help fill his time, he bought a 1950 Mercury, the same model as the first car he ever owned. He proudly cared for it, displayed it at car shows in the area, and drove it around town as much as possible. It always started a conversation, which delighted him.

In 2022, a new love was born; his great-granddaughter, Lucy. From that point on, anyone he talked with was likely to see pictures and hear all about her, whether they wanted to or not. About 9 months ago, his great-grandson Callum was born. Although he never quite got the baby’s name right, he loved him every bit as much as Lucy. He looked forward to regular visits and FaceTime conversations with the great-grandchildren. They brought true joy into his final years.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife Harriet; parents Joseph and Alta, step-father James Nesler; sister Lois Svedine, brother Bernard Daiker; son-in-law Stephen Collette; grandson Jeremy Mack; nephews Steven Talley and Kenneth Flom; numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is survived by his daughters Kelly Collette and Kim Mack; sisters Mary Nelson and Sue Nelson; grandchildren Ben (Emily) Collette and Sam (Abbi) Mack; great-grandchildren Lucy and Callum Collette; many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Visitation will be 10:00-11:00 a.m. on Monday, November 24, 2025, followed by the Memorial Mass at 11:00 a.m. at St. Henry’s Catholic Church in Perham. Interment will be at the church cemetery.

The family wishes to offer heartfelt thanks to St. Henry’s clergy, HIA Hospice, Perham Hospital, and Perham Living for their devoted care and support during Bob’s final weeks on earth.

Schoeneberger Funeral & Cremation Service, Perham, MN (218) 346-5175 www.schoenebergerfh.com