Robert William Messer

Robert William Messer, 83, of Cedar Falls, died Saturday, October 18, 2014, at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home, in Waterloo. He was born September 12, 1931, the son of Vernon and Ruth (Flemming) Messer in Waterloo. He graduated from Orange Township High School in 1949. Robert received his BA from the University of Northern Iowa in 1953, his M A from Northern Colorado University, Greely, Colorado in 1958. Robert was an administrator and Junior High Principal at Peet Jr. High for 30 years, retiring in 1993. He married Hazel Porath June 2, 1956, in Newell, Iowa. Robert was a veteran of the United States Army, serving from 1953 to 1955. He was a member of Kiwanis, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Cedar Valley Garden Club, Black Hawk County Retired Teachers Association, and Phi Delta Kappa. He is survived by his wife, Hazel Messer, of Cedar Falls; two sons, Ted (Diane) Messer of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Scott (Sandy) Messer of Frisco, Texas; three daughters, Jan (Steve) Gripp of Lenexa, Kansas, Teri (Mark) Frankum of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Kathy (Butch) Stricker of Cedar Falls; 10 grandchildren, Nathan, Cole, Timothy, Matt, Curt, Ryan, Kristen, Jessica, Elizabeth, and Rachel, and one brother, John (Carolyn) Messer of Scottsdale, Arizona. He was preceded in death by his parents. Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 22, 2014, at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls. Burial will be at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Adel, Iowa, on Thursday, October 23, 2014. Visitation will be 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at the Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home. Memorials may be directed to the Robert Messer Scholarship Fund through the Cedar Falls Community School Foundation, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Cedar Falls, and Cedar Valley Hospice. Condolences may be left at www.DahlFuneralHome.com.