Obituaries : Robert L. Harrison

VINTON: Robert L. Harrison, age 90, died Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at the Vinton Lutheran Home. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 pm, Monday, April 2, 2018 at the Phillips Funeral Home Chapel (212 E. 6^th Street) in Vinton. Friends may call from noon until service time on Monday at the funeral home. Interment will be held at Evergreen Cemetery, Vinton. A memorial fund has been established with the Vinton Parks and Recreation Department for increased appreciation and use of the Cedar River. Robert was born on March 22, 1928 on a farm north of Vinton, the son of James R. and Mary Inez (Rice) Harrison. He graduated from Lincoln High School in Vinton with the class of 1945. On December 7, 1964, he was united in marriage in Ames to Ann Walters of Casey, Iowa. Robert worked at McDowell's Lumber in Vinton for over 50 years and truly enjoyed the lumber business. He was very active in his community, serving on the Vinton Airport Commission for many years and was the longtime sexton at Cox Cemetery. Robert was interested in conservation and was an active member and past President of the Red Cedar Chapter of the Izaak Walton League. He was involved in the leadership of the "wreath project"� using over-grown evergreens to create wreaths for fundraising for the Ike's and the Old Creamery Trail. Robert was also very involved in the "Celebrate The Red Cedar River"� exhibit displayed in the Bob & Ann Harrison Pavilion at Celebration Park. He loved to hunt and fish and enjoyed the outdoors. He was a member of the Vinton Country Club and was a skilled participant in golf, bowling and boating. He and Ann loved to travel throughout the United States. He is survived by his wife Ann of Vinton; his nieces and nephews, Nancy (Gary) Kendall, John (Sharon) Stiegelmeyer, Mary Ellen (Wayne) Simnacher and Donn Larson; and his great nieces and nephews, Todd and Chad Waterbury, Lisa Allen, DeWayne and David Simnacher, Beth DeBruzzi and Heather Blakestad, Kurt Kerkman and Dan and Paul Jabens, Stephanie Gardner, Suzy Stiegelmeyer and Scott Stiegelmeyer. He was preceded in death by his parents; four sisters, Ruth Stiegelmeyer, Adelaide Jabens, Charlotte Larson and Doris Spooner and his brother Clifford Harrison. Online condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com