Obituaries : William F. “Bill” Bobzien

Bill Bobzien

PALO:  William F. “Bill” Bobzien, 85 of Palo and formerly of LaPorte City and Van Horne died Thursday, January 14, 2016 at home in Palo surrounded by his family. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM, Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, LaPorte City with Father Ray Atwood as Celebrant.  The family will greet friends from 9 AM until service time at the church on Tuesday.  Military rites will be conducted by the Geo. G. Luckey American Legion Post #57 of Vinton and Iowa Military Funeral Honors.  Interment will take place in the spring at Westview Cemetery, LaPorte City.  Memorials may be directed to Mercy Hospice in Hiawatha.  Phillips Funeral Home in Vinton is in charge of arrangements.

            Bill was born November 27, 1930 at his family home in Van Horne to Gilbert and Fern (Pegump) Bobzien.  He graduated from Van Horne High School and enlisted in the United States Army.  Bill was Honorably Discharged from his service to his nation in March of 1960.  He was united in marriage to Barbara Bower in August of 1955, in Vinton, Iowa and they later divorced.  In 1972 he was united in marriage to Barbara (Holub) Dawes, they were married for many years and later divorced.  On June 27, 1992 Bill was united in marriage to Carole Ann Brown Wellner, she preceded him in death on August 11, 2014. 

            Bill worked for many year as a welder at Hawk-built in Vinton until it closed; he later worked for Kinze Manufacturing and Tyson Foods in Arkansas.  He was a lifelong volunteer firefighter and longtime member of Geo. G. Luckey American Legion Post #57 in Vinton.  Bill was also a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in LaPorte City, the LaPorte City Lion’s Club and the Moose Lodge in Washburn.  He greatly enjoyed going dancing with his wife, Carole Ann.

            He is survived by his children:  Michael Bobzien and Philip Bobzien both of Cedar Rapids; Tim (Renee McDonald) Bobzien of Vinton; Diana (Larry) Severin of Faribault, Minnesota and Suzan (Mike Boatman) Graveman of Palo; his grandchildren:  Amber (Dan Meyer) Graveman, Andrea (Eric) Petersen, Kiley Schmitt, Anabelle Boatman, Justin Severin, Allison (Mitch Luckow) Severin and Jordan and Jennifer Bobzien; his great grandchildren, Daphne and Delaney Luckow, Olivia Graveman and Tiffany and Rachel Petersen and his step-children:  Katherine (Ken) Konz of Coralville, Terry (Bev) Wellner of Marion, Neil (Kim) Wellner of DeWitt and Jarrod Wellner of LaPorte City, Ronnie Wellner of LaPorte City and Debbie (Ronnie) Grimes of Garland, Texas.

            Bill was preceded in death by his parents; a still-born sister and his three wives.

            The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Hospice of Mercy, Chaplain Joe Kane; hospice nurses, Rebecca and Lisa and Sister Annette at St. Elizabeth’s in Hiawatha.

Online condolences may be left at:  www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.