Robert Lage

Robert E. “Bob” Lage, 89, a resident of Long Grove, died Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf.

Funeral services celebrating his life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 7, 2017 at Faith Lutheran Church in Eldridge. Burial will be at Long Grove Cemetery in Long Grove. A visitation and luncheon will be held from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Saturday at the church. Memorials may be made to the Alexander Brownlie Sod House or Faith Lutheran Church. Chambers Funeral Home in Eldridge is assisting the family with arrangements.

Bob was born March 21, 1927, in Pleasant Valley, Iowa, the son of Edward and Dora (Scheel) Lage.  At the age of 5, the family moved to Long Grove where he resided for 84 years.

Bob was a graduate of Central High School in Davenport. Following high school, he proudly served his country in the United States Army, entering boot camp at the end of World War II.  Following the Army, he graduated from the University of Iowa, where he participated on the wrestling team, and was co-captain of the football team. Bob remained a life-long Hawkeye fan.  On July 6, 1952, he married Marlene Malmanger, who was the love of his life.  She preceded him in death in 1997.

He was a member of the Long Grove City Council, the Long Grove Volunteer Fire Department, and Faith Lutheran Church.  Bob worked for Midwest Breeders for 31 years, and farmed in Long Grove most of his life, retiring in 1989.  He raised a few stock cows and provided a number of calves for local 4-H kids. Bob and Marlene owned and preserved the Alexander Brownlie Sod House (which is now on the National Register of Historic Places), and nearby barn, which he believed may be the oldest barn in Iowa. He felt it was his purpose in life to take care of this property and often provided tours of the Sod House and old barn for school children and visitors.

Those left to honor his memory include his children, Kristy (Giles) Looney of Long Grove, Kent Lage of Eldridge and Randy (Mary) Lage of Naperville, Illinois; grandchildren, Teresa (Colothdian) Tate, Kathy Holmes, Phil (Jamie) Looney, Kevin Lage, Keith (Yuan Yuan) Lage, Kyle Lage and Tiffany (Chad) Metcalf; great-grandchildren, Kyler, Melea, and Amaya Tate, Kaylee and Alexa Holmes, Zoё and Bella Warm, Patrick Looney, and Drew, Logan, and Sierra Metcalf; and sisters, Shirley DeWulf and Dorothy (Robert) Beert, both of Eldridge.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Betty Lynch and Mary Weaver.