September 12, 1926 - March 31, 2025
Funeral services for Robert “Bob” Diekmann will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 12 at the First United Methodist Church in Algona. Burial will be at East Lawn Cemetery with military honors provided by VFW Howard D. Omdahl Post #2541 and the American Legion Hagg-Turner Post #90 of Algona. Visitation will be held from 4 - 6 p.m. on Friday, April 11 at Oakcrest Funeral Services in Algona and again at the church an hour prior to services on Saturday. If you would like, please join the family at the visitation or funeral in wearing red in honor of Bob. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Bob’s name to the First United Methodist Church, 201 E. Nebraska St., Algona, Iowa 50511 or to the Kossuth Regional Health Center, 1515 S. Phillips St., Algona, Iowa 50511.
Robert Charles Diekmann was born Sept. 12, 1926, in Wesley; the son of Fred August and Grace Caroline (Johnson) Diekmann. He grew up in Wesley and graduated from Wesley High School.
A proud veteran of WWII, Bob served in the 158th Army “Bushmasters,” and his time in service was something he carried with pride throughout his life. He was a key figure at the POW Museum with a significant display dedicated to his service.
On March 21, 1953, he was united in marriage to Myrna Kiewiet. The couple spent their entire married life in Algona where they raised their three daughters. Upon retirement they spent their winters in South Texas and Arizona.
After the war, Bob worked at the Algona Hardware Store and then was offered the opportunity to become a Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance agent. As an agent with NML, Bob earned many awards culminating in the Lifetime Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) achievement award but mostly enjoyed working with his clients.
Bob was known by many in the Algona area through his extensive involvement in sports, through high school sports at Algona High School and Bishop Garrigan and his participation in racing. He was involved in quarter midgets, tether cars, radio control cars at Veteran’s Park and sprint cars in Knoxville. Bob also cherished and played baseball. He was a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, a passion sparked by the year of his birth and their World Series win in 1926.
Bob’s life was marked by his generosity and his ability to connect with people. He was never too busy to listen to a story or share one of his own. His mornings began with a 5-cent coke or cherry phosphate at the Dutch Honsbruch soda counter and his days were often spent at local spots like DQ and Bub’s Pie Shop. In his later years, Bob became a fixture at local coffee shops, enjoying the company of friends and neighbors. To his family, Bob was a loving and devoted father, grandfather and friend. He instilled in his children the values of kindness, living life to the fullest and the importance of community.
Bob died Monday, March 31 at Kossuth Regional Health Center in Algona. He was 98.
Left to cherish his memories are his daughters, Connie (Loren) Duchman of Cedar Falls; Kathy Petersen of Norwalk; Vicki (Harvey) Aikman of Midland, Texas; grandchildren, Dr. Kyle (Julia) Duchman of Iowa City; Dr. Bryce (Emily) Duchman of San Diego, Calif.; Dr. Allison (Alex Moseley) Duchman of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Joe (Kelli) Petersen of Norwalk; Dr. Jacob (Jordan) Petersen of Phoenix, Ariz.; Dr. Ashley (Dan) Geer of Fort Worth, Texas; Ian (Kali) Aikman of New Braunfels, Texas; nine great-grandchildren, Samuel, Miles, Emeri, Eloise, Nolan, Sofia, Liam, Jocelyn and Amelia and nephew, Mark Diekmann.
Preceding him in death are his parents; wife, Myrna in 2017; and brothers, Fred Diekmann Jr and John (Joan) Diekmann and niece, Sheri Shimon.
Arrangements are being handled by Oakcrest Funeral Services. Condolences may be left at www.oakcrestfuneralservices.com.