Robert James “Bob” Landheer, 94, of Morrison, IL, died Tuesday, June 21, 2022, at Allure of Prophetstown, IL.
Bob was born February 10, 1928, in Sterling, IL, to Ernest and Marie (Rushmeyer) Landheer. He attended school in the rural Whiteside County grade schools and Morrison High School. Bob was drafted into the U. S. Army on January 18, 1951. He completed basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, with the 7th Infantry Division, and then served in the Korean Conflict for one year, with the 7th Infantry’s 57th Field Artillery Battalion. After Korea he served at Ft. Knox, KY, until he was honorably discharged. On December 6, 1950, he married Marian J. Stern in Sterling. He began his career farming, and later drove a stock truck. He then worked at Vend-O-Mack in Morrison, then at 3M in Cordova, IL, until retirement. After retiring he drove a limo and school bus for RC Smith, and also delivered cars for the car dealers in Morrison. Bob was a member of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rock Falls, IL. He was a lifetime member of the Morrison VFW and American Legion Post #328. Bob loved to travel. He and Marian had taken 13 cruises and had visited all 48 contiguous States, as well as Hawaii and Alaska, twice. He loved farming and gardening; enjoyed RFD and country music; was an avid Chicago Cubs Fan.
Survivors include his wife, Marian; daughters, Chris (John) VanDerLeest of Morrison, Cindy (Eric Case) Truitt of Morrison, Brenda (Frank) Contreras of Beverly Hills, FL; son, Jim (Diane) Landheer of Morrison; seven grandchildren, Tony (Tara) VanDerLeest, Nashion Smith, Natacha (Troy) Peppers, Latisha (Eric) Tegeler, Jessie (Jason) Wroble, Laurel (Matt) Decker, Lyndsay (Nick Smith) Landheer; 18 great-grandchildren, Eli VanDerLeest, Liam Bellich, Andrais, Logan, and Demery Smith, Lucas (Maranda) Peppers and Emma Peppers, Zackery, Benjamin, and Adam Tegeler, Cohen and Winnie Wroble, Lane, Luke, Lyric, and Levi Decker, Elka Smith; sister, Ruth VanDerLeest of Morrison.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents; granddaughter, Melissa VanDerLeest; great-grandson, Tyler Peppers; sisters, Esther A. Wiebenga and Erma M. Zuidema; brother, Walter Landheer.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, June 27, 2022, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rock Falls, IL, with Pastor Daniel Behmlander officiating.
There will be a short Visitation before the service, starting at 10:00 a.m. There is also a Visitation from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., on Sunday, June 26, at the Morrison Chapel of the Bosma-Renkes Funeral Home.
Interment will be in Grove Hill Cemetery, Morrison, IL, with military honors by the Morrison American Legion.
A memorial has been established.