Robert Ray Hoeppner, 77, of Reinbeck, Iowa, died Saturday, August 12, 2006, at the Parkview Manor in Reinbeck.
Bob was born July 17, 1929, in rural Grundy County, the son of Harold and Olga (Billerbeck) Hoeppner. Bob was raised in Janesville, Iowa and in South Dakota. He received his education in Janesville, Iowa. On June 15, 1949 he was united in marriage to Mae Jean Willer in Dubuque, Iowa. The couple lived in Lincoln, Iowa until 1955 when they moved to Reinbeck. Bob worked for Peterson Contractors Inc. as a Heavy Machine Operator. Bob loved the outdoors and was an avid sportsman. He was a member of the Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Reinbeck. He retired from the Reinbeck Fire Department after serving for 35 years. He was a 30 year member of the Izaac Walton League. Bob was an original member of the Grundy County Sheriff Reserve and served on it until it disbanded in 1991.
He is survived by wife Mae Jean Hoeppner of Reinbeck, Iowa; two daughters: Rebecca Hoeppner of Ames, Iowa and Claudia Hirl of Des Moines, Iowa; two grandchildren Jeffrey Havlik of Santa Barbara, California, and Melissa Riensche and her husband Bryan of Tolono, Illinois; a sister: Lorna Neil of Waterloo, Iowa, 2 sisters-in-law: Laura Mae Hoeppner of Waterloo, Iowa, and Eva Hoeppner of Waterloo, Iowa; 2 step-sisters: Ila Wangeness and her husband Kenny of Allison, Iowa and Ilene Bernhart and her husband Jim of Dike, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by a son-in-law: Richard Hirl; his parents, step-mother Inez Hoeppner, and two brothers Eldon and Vernon Hoeppner.