Robert Wiese

Robert L. “Bob” Wiese, 95, a life-long resident of Eldridge, Iowa peacefully passed away at the Davenport Lutheran Home on Monday, October 28, 2013 with his beloved wife, Lu at his side.

A service to celebrate his life will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at Faith Lutheran Church of Eldridge where he was a charter member.  He will be laid to rest at Pine Hill Cemetery in Davenport where military graveside honors will be conducted.  Visitation will be from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Friday at the church.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wiese Park in Eldridge for improvements and beautification, the Faith Lutheran Church Building Fund or the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Department New Equipment Fund.  Chambers Funeral Home of Eldridge is assisting the family with arrangements.

He was born in Davenport on February 25, 1918, the son of Fred H. & Edna L. (Koch) Wiese and was a 1935 graduate of Davenport Central High School.  Following graduation, he attended Iowa State University and the American Institute of Commerce.

On March 28, 1942, he was united in marriage to Luella S. Stark at Edwards Congregational Church of Davenport.

During World War II, Bob served in the U.S. Army with the 89 ^th Anti-Aircraft Battalion and was honorably discharged after four years of service.

Bob owned & operated the Eldridge Hardware & Implement Company in Eldridge for over twenty-five years.  He was a licensed John Deere dealer and provided many other farm related equipment, tools and hardware to Scott County farmers.

He served as the Scott County Assessor for seventeen years and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Trust & Savings Bank of Eldridge for twenty-nine years.  In addition, Bob served two non-consecutive terms on the Eldridge City Council, served on the Eldridge Utility Board and the Eldridge Community Center Board.

He was a tireless volunteer who devoted much of his life to and for the betterment of his beloved Eldridge community.  Whenever and wherever help and energy was needed, Bob was there to lend a hand.

His memberships included the Carl Jacobsen American Legion Post 639 of Eldridge where he was a member for over fifty years, the Pluto Lodge of the Knights of Pythias where he was a member for over fifty years, a member and former Fire Chief of the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Department for thirty-three years and was the last living charter member of the Eldridge Lions Club with over sixty years of service.  He also served as treasurer of Faith Lutheran Church and for as long as he was able, was a faithful blood donor for the American Red Cross.  Bob was also a long-time member of the Iowa State Assessors Association and served on the board of Pine Hill Cemetery for many years.

Bob was instrumental in providing the building for the Scott County Library in Eldridge in 1962 and as a gesture of gratitude for his commitment to Eldridge, the city named a street and a park in his name.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife of seventy-one years, Luella; his son, David L. (Kay) Wiese of Scottsdale, Arizona; his grandsons, Mark Wanzel of St. Louis, Missouri, John (Anna) Wanzel of Brooklyn, New York and Eric Wanzel of Seattle, Washington; his son-in-law, Robert Wanzel of St. Louis, Missouri; and his brother-in-law, Harold (Mary) Stark of Bettendorf, Iowa.

Bob was preceded in death by his daughter, Mary L Wanzel on July 10, 1995.