Robert "Bob" William Eisma

IRETON, IOWA ~ Robert “Bob” William Eisma, 79, of Ireton, passed away on Sunday, December 24, 2023, at Hillcrest Health Care Services in Hawarden, Iowa.

   Funeral Service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, December 28, 2023, at the Ireton Christian Reformed Church in Ireton, Iowa with Pastor Doug Van Aartsen officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Ireton. Visitation with the family will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Ireton Christian Reformed Church. The Porter Funeral Home is assisting the family. The funeral service will be recorded and uploaded to Bob’s obituary page. Bob’s family prefers memorials be directed to St. Croix Hospice or to the Sound System Fund at the Ireton Christian Reformed Church.

   Robert “Bob” William Eisma was born October 25, 1944, at Ireton, Iowa, the son of Sidney and Minnie (Sinkey) Eisma. He attended Ireton Christian School and Western Christian High School. Bob began working at the age of 14 for Vernon Eilts.  He helped with farm work, raising hogs, and feeding cattle.  

   He married Mary Haarsma February 19, 1965, and they moved to their farm northeast of Ireton in 1966 where they raised their family.  Bob’s love for farming was known to everyone, so in the early 1980’s he was able to farm on his own.  He loved feeding cattle, he loved John Deere tractors, he loved combining, planting and anything to do on the farm.  Bob always had a large sweet corn patch, and he would deliver to families all over Ireton.  He and Mary would attend Pam and Rachel’s volleyball and basketball games, Brian’s wrestling matches and music events of all 4 children.  Later as they had grandchildren, they attended more sporting events and many music events the grandkids were in.

   They enjoyed trips to Mexico and to other destinations with their Great Lakes Seed Corn dealers and spouses.  They went on several cruises, and made many trips with family to Washington State.  

Bob and Mary wintered in Texas for the past 6 years where they enjoyed the warm weather and the beaches. They made many new “winter friends”.

   He was diagnosed with dementia in October of 2015. They continued to live on the farm where he loved to mow almost every day, sometimes even the same piece of ground. Bob always had life saver mints in his pocket and he would be seen often hiding them in his hands and giving them to the grandkids.   He loved going to the Super Stop morning, noon, and afternoon to enjoy coffee with his buddies and eating ice cream with his grandkids. His love for farming and feeding cattle never faded during his illness. He loved to ride around with Mary where he would look for cattle, green tractors, and people mowing lawns.  Throughout the 9 years of Bob having dementia, he had a smile on his face and he would say hi to everyone and then turn to Mary and say, “They know me”. Bob and Mary moved into Ireton in October of 2022, and Bob moved to Hillcrest Health Care Services in Hawarden on November 6^th of this year.

   Bob was always active and served as a Deacon at his church, on the Ireton Fire Board, Ireton Christian School Board, Coop Gas and Oil Board, an Ag member on the Ireton Booster Club, a Cadet Leader, and was a dealer for Great Lakes Seed Corn.

   Bob is survived by his wife, Mary; four children and their families:

   Pam Mose and husband Jim of Brandon, South Dakota

     ~their son DJ Eisma

   Kevin and Cindy Eisma of Ireton

     ~their daughter Courtney Jansma and husband Justin

      *their children Jax, Callen, and Emmett

     -their son Justin Mathewson  

   Brian and Nikki Eisma of Ireton

     ~their children Max and Ty

    Rachel Pomrenke and special friend Jason Ahlers of Ireton

     ~her son Austin Mohning and wife Morgan

      *their daughter Paisley

     ~her daughters, Alyssa Mohning, April Mohning, and Autumn Mohning.

   Bob is also survived by two brothers, Don Eisma of Prior Lake, Minnesota and Mike Eisma and wife Lisa of Le Mars, Iowa; two sisters, Mary Obbink of Orange City, Iowa and Barb DeKraker and husband Wayne of Caledonia, Michigan;  brother-in-law, Harold Haarsma and his wife Rose of Orange City; two sisters-in-law, Geri Faber of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Dorothy Noteboom and husband Frank of Orange City;  and many nieces and nephews. 

   He was preceded in death by his parents, Sidney and Minnie; two brothers, Le Roy and Brad; a grandson, Seth; sisters-in-law, Kay Eisma and Winifred Haarsma; brothers-in-law, Harvey Obbink, Eugene Haarsma, and Jerry Faber; and his parents-in-law, Clarence and Alice Haarsma.