Robert Haugen

    Robert F. Haugen, 86, of 1310 Village Road, Clear Lake, died Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011 at the Oakwood Care Center, Clear Lake.
    Memorial services will be 10 a.m., Monday, Oct. 31, at the Grace Lutheran Church, Hanlontown, Iowa with Pastor Linda Johnson Prestholt officiating.  Burial will be in Brush Point Cemetery, Hanlontown.  Visitation will be Sunday, Oct. 30, from 3-6 p.m. at the Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake and then one hour before the service on

Monday at the church.  Family suggests memorials to Grace Lutheran Church or Hospice of North Iowa.
    Bob was born on Sept. 29, 1925 the son of Frank and Sylvia (Staaleson) Haugen on a farm near Miller, Iowa.  He attended country school and farmed with his dad.
    Bob married Mabel Knudtson on March 15, 1946 in Forest City, Iowa and to this union three sons were born: David, Dennis and Darrell.  Bob farmed near Garner, Iowa for a few years and moved to Hanlontown in 1951, where he continued farming along with operating a TV repair business, raising laying hens and broilers, and milking cows.  In 1960 he formed Bob’s Sodding, which covered many areas of landscaping including laying sod on Interstates 35 and 80 from Omaha, Neb. to Des Moines, Iowa and Des Moines to the Minnesota border.
    In 1970 Bob and Mabel started the Petal Shoppe in Hanlontown, with an expansion to Clear Lake in 1980.  They spent 18 years serving the area with beautiful flowers for every occasion.  Christmas time was their favorite. Bob enjoyed the Christmas tree part of the business, especially flocking and delivering.
    On Nov. 10, 1990 Bob was united in marriage to Ardis Buckley. Bob enjoyed helping Ardie with her catering business and coordinating the mystery motor home trips.  He and Ardie enjoyed spending the last 20 years wintering in Arizona and traveling and spending time with family and friends.
    Bob enjoyed many hobbies including square dancing, camping, hunting, fishing, playing bridge, softball and bowling with his family and friends in the early years, and later on golfing, traveling, playing 500 with winning the bid as the only option, and a little casino donating from time to time. He loved to watch his Cubbies! 
    Bob is survived by his wife, Ardis Haugen, Clear Lake; three sons, David (Marilyn) of Hanlontown, Dennis (Janet) of Forest City, Iowa and Darrell (Lorinda) of Mesa, Az. and three stepchildren, Terry Buckley, Waverly, Neb., Jeff Buckley, Glenwood Springs, Colo. and Rhonda (Brian) Dirksen, Mason City; 13 grandchildren, Corey (Carla) Haugen, Prior Lake, Minn., Mandi (Cory) Lockwood, North Liberty, Iowa, Megan (John) Atkinson, Minneapolis, Minn., Nathan (Carly) Haugen, Tacoma, Wash., Justin (Kim) Haugen, Omaha, Neb., Michelle Swenson and Dave, Des Moines, Iowa, Michael (Amanda) Haugen, Forest City, Ashlee (Mark) Lewis, Tacoma, Bridget (Josh) McCloskey, Mesa; five step-grandchildren, Amber Buckley, Las Vegas, Nev., Alicia Bates, Las Vegas, Dillon Buckley, Phoenix, Az., Paige and Tess Hanson, Mason City; 10 great-grandchildren; one brother, Ronald (Linda) Haugen, Forest City, and several nieces and nephews.
    Robert was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Mabel, who died Sept. 15, 1989; granddaughter, Melissa Haugen, who died on March 27, 1975; and son-in-law, Mark Hanson, Jan. 30, 2003.
    Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.