Robert “Bob” James Benda September 10, 1927 – November 04, 2018 Share this obituary Send Flowers Sign Guestbook| View Guest Book Entries| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card Robert James “Bob” Benda, age 91, of Toledo, passed away peacefully with his family present on Sunday, November 4, 2018 at the Iowa River Hospice Home in Marshalltown. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, November 12, 2018 at 10:30 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Tama with Father Michael Mescher and Deacon Stan Upah officiating. Interment will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Tama with Military Honors.
Visitation will be held Sunday, November 11, 2018 from 5-7 PM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama. Robert “Bob” Benda, the son of Albert Jr. and Mary (Medricky) Benda, was born on September 10, 1927, at their rural home northeast of Toledo. He attended Carroll #9 school through 8th grade and graduated from Toledo High School in 1946.
Bob proudly served his country in the U.S. Army in Korea and Japan during the Korean War from January 1951 to January 1953. Bob farmed and was employed by Emanuel Zmolek’s Phillips 66 Station for several years. On November 23, 1953, Bob married Virginia Kvidera in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Tama.
They made their home in Toledo. They were married for sixty-four years at his passing. In August of 1957, Bob began a thirty year career with Pioneer Hi-Bred International at the Toledo plant, retiring in 1986.
He was an active member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Tama, the Toledo Historical Society, a sixty-seven year member of the American Legion, a thirty-seven year member of the Knights of Columbus and Financial Secretary for the Knights of Columbus for twenty years. He also enjoyed serving as an election official for over twenty-six years. Bob was honored to be able to attend the Veterans Honor flight to Washington DC in 2014, accompanied by his son, Steve.
He enjoyed gardening, working outdoors, and fixing anything that needed repair. He will be remembered as always willing to help others. Bob and Virginia were active with Square Dancing for over fifty-five years, dancing with the Toledo Squares and the Flutter Wheelers Square Dance Camping Club.
For many family vacations, they enjoyed traveling and camping with their young children, visiting forty-five states, many National parks, and attending State and National Dance Conventions. Bob was a devoted family man who loved his wife, children, and granddaughters, and will be greatly missed by them. He is survived by his wife, Virginia; son, Steve Benda, The Villages, FL; daughter, Cathy (Mark) Nelson, Ithaca, NY; granddaughters, Elizabeth Nelson, Washington, DC, and Clara Nelson, Pittsburgh, PA; his sister-in-law, Janet Kvidera, Toledo; and nieces and a nephew.
He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant son, Ronald; sister, Marie Dost; brothers-in-law, Henry Dost and Richard Kvidera; and niece, Barbara Lofton. Memorials can be sent to the family and will be directed to Iowa River Hospice.
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