Robert Lee Burmahl, 19 Feb 1940 - 17 Feb 2025

BURMAHL, HINKE, WILLMAN, LARSON, BARKER, EHRENBERGER, RASMUSSEN, LINK, SEELEY, POPPE, DAVISON, BECHTOLD

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 2/26/2025 at 15:50:50

Robert L. “Bob” aka “Papa” Burmahl, 84, of Wyoming, Iowa, passed away at home after a 5-year battle with cancer, on Monday, February 17, 2025, three days after his wife Judee passed away.

Robert Lee Burmahl was born on February 19, 1940 in Maquoketa, Iowa to Henry and Alverda (Hinke) Burmahl. He was baptized on March 24, 1940 at First Lutheran Church in Maquoketa. He was a 1959 graduate of Maquoketa High School. He met Judee Willman in 1960 while roller skating at the open rink in Maquoketa. They were married on July 14, 1962 at First Lutheran Church in Mt. Carroll, Illinois.

Bob started working for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad in 1963 and also worked as a meat cutter at Jack’N’Jill Grocery Store in Maquoketa until they moved to Wyoming in 1967. He was laid off from the railroad for 1 year. During that time, he worked at Wilson's in Cedar Rapids, until he was called back to the railroad. He retired from the Union Pacific Railroad in 1999.

Bob never knew a stranger. He had a gift for gab and was never afraid to strike up a conversation. In his earlier years, Bob loved to go hunting. He especially loved golfing, camping, and fishing on the Mississippi and Maquoketa Rivers. Whenever the kids were home for a visit, he took them to Geno's for pizza or Bluff Lake Catfish Farm for prime rib. He also loved to spend time gambling in Tama with his sister, Bonnie. Papa especially cherished the time spent with his children and grandchildren. Additionally, he especially enjoyed taking Whitney, Chloe and Kora for rides in the golf cart and teaching them how to golf and fish. Papa wished his grandchildren knew how much he loved ALL of them, how much he thought of them every day, and how he longed for the relationships he wasn't allowed to nurture. We will miss our ornery, old Papa! You are our sunshine!

Bob is survived by his children, Rusty (Peaches) Burmahl of Victor, IA, and Bobbie (Bob) Larson of Miltona, MN; grandchildren, Whitney (Brian) Barker and their daughter, Kora of Victor, IA, Chloe (Isaiah) Ehrenberger of Spring Lake, NC, Nikki (Chris) Rasmussen and their children Autumn and Hannah of Midland, TX, Jason (Theresa) Burmahl and their children Elise and Jace of Cedar Rapids, IA, Rebecca (Alex) Link and their daughter, Hadley of Dubuque, IA, and Brianna Burmahl of Monticello, IA; in-laws, Carolyn Seeley of Manchester, IA, Rhonda (Steve) Poppe of Lowden, IA, and Suzanne Willman of Wyoming, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son Richard Burmahl, a grandchild Angela Grace Burmahl, siblings, Margaret (Ken) Davison, Arla (Bob) Edwards, George (Thais Grosskruger) Burmahl, and Bonnie Harms; father-in-law and mother-in-law, James and Naydene (Allen) Willman, and in-laws Allen Willman, Janet (Don) Bechtold, and Rich Seeley.

A joint celebration of life is pending and will be announced at a future date. At Peace Cremation Services have been provided by Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa.

The family would like to thank Care Initiatives Hospice for helping them through this process, the staff at PCI, and the staff at UnityPoint Health Jones Regional Medical Center in Anamosa, as well as Suzanne, Patty and Deb for stepping in and caring for Bob so we could be by Judee’s side during this difficult time. We cannot thank you all enough for the exceptional care and concern for Bob and his family.

The family requests no flowers or plants.

Online condolences may be left at www.CarsonAndSon.com.

Published in The Gazette on February 21, 2025