OBITUARY – Robert Bielfeldt

Robert "Bob" Berdell Bielfeldt, 98, of Anchor, passed away peacefully on October 12th after a long and very fulfilling life.

His funeral will be held at 11:00am, Friday, October 18, 2024, at St. John's Lutheran Church, Anchor. Pastor Elizebeth Callen will be officiating. Burial will be in St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery, Anchor.

Visitation will be held from 5-7:00pm, Thursday, October 17, 2024, at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Colfax and 10-10:45am, on Friday at the Church.

Memorials may be made to St. John's Lutheran Church, Anchor.

Bob was born on September 23rd, 1926, in Anchor to Adolph and Minnie Bielfeldt. After graduating from Anchor High School in 1945, Bob was drafted into the Army and served his country at Camp Robert in California and then Fort Knox Kentucky, until 1947.

He eagerly returned home to the family farm, where he lived up until his last day. Bob married Joanne Britt on December 2nd, 1951, moving his bride to the farmhouse where he was born and welcoming her to country living. They were married for 53 years and spent their early days farming the land, raising cattle and hundreds of chickens. He knew that eventually, Joanne would come to love life on the farm. And she did. The couple raised three kids in that house – Scott, Karen and Linda – teaching them the value of hard work, an appreciation of the land and a deep love of family.

When he wasn't spending time farming, Bob was driving a school bus for Ridgeview School District (formerly Octavia) from 1964 to 2004. In his free time, Bob enjoyed bowling, horseshoes, hunting, billiards, ping pong, and just about any recreational sport there was—even a mean game of basketball in the basement of their farmhouse. He was also a lifelong member of St. John's Lutheran Church of Anchor where he served on the church council and as a Sunday School Superintendent.

Bob also loved attending his grandchildren's games/events throughout east-central Illinois. He was an avid sports fan, and you could always find him glued to the TV whenever the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Bears, or Illini were playing.

After Joanne passed in 2004, Bob spent time playing in card games and tournaments throughout the area, in addition to playing pool and winning a few trophies. His enthusiasm and competitiveness were contagious and he was infamous among family and friends for wanting to play poker, euchre or any card game whenever a group got together. A passion up until the end, Bob even played poker the Thursday night before he passed.

Despite his many interests and activities, the one thing that always made him smile and light up was farming. Bob loved talking farming with anyone who would listen. And he loved everything about it, from planting and harvesting to working the ground and planning for next season's crop. And you sure couldn't keep him off a tractor—even up until his last day. He had the ultimate pleasure of hauling his last crop to town just a few days before he passed.

Waiting for Bob in heaven was his beloved wife Joanne, as well as his parents, his brother Fred (Grace) Bielfeldt, sister Amanda (Edwin) Stiegman, brother Walter (Myrtle) Bielfeldt, brother Ralph, (Mildred) Bielfeldt, sister Velna (Elmer) Wichman, brother Lewis (Glenna) Bielfeldt, sister Evelyn (Gale) Salyards and brother Junior (Doris) Bielfeldt.

He is survived by his son Scott Bielfeldt, Cooksville and daughters Karen (David) Butler, Arrowsmith, and Linda (Tom) Bosch of Mahomet. His six grandchildren: Christie (Jason) O'Connor, Brian Butler, Jackie (Bill) Jansen, Sarah Butler (Dirk Thompson),  Ryan (Kristen) Bosch and Jared (Cristina) Bosch. And seven great grandchildren: Kelly and Kendall O'Connor; Ava, Will and Emily Jansen; and Jackson and Cameron Bosch.

It was a life well-lived and loved. He cherished his family and was so proud of all of them.

From his three children: "You can rest easy now Dad. There's no "hard work" in heaven.