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Photo of Robert J. Hocraffer

Robert J. Hocraffer

5/25/1931 - 3/27/2016


Obituary


Robert John Hocraffer, 84, of Clarion passed away peacefully after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer surrounded by family and friends on Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016 at the Paula J. Baber Hospice House in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 10:30 AM at St. John’s Catholic Church, 608 2nd Avenue North East in Clarion, with Reverend Jerry Blake officiating. Burial will be at St. John’s Cemetery in Clarion.

Visitation will be held Friday, April 1, 2016 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM, with a rosary at 4:45 PM at Ewing Funeral Home in Clarion and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday.

Robert Hocraffer was born on May 25, 1931 to Henry and Bridget (O’Neill) Hocraffer of Mason City, IA. He attended Holy Family School in Mason City and enjoyed spending summers working on his uncle, Frank O’Neill’s farm in rural Clarion, introducing Bob to the Clarion area and solidifying his love of farming at an early age.

In 1951, Bob was drafted into the US Army and served in Korea during the Korean War from 1951 – 1953. Upon his return to Clarion, Bob met the love of his life, Mary Jean Pick and they were married November 7, 1955. Together, they farmed in Dayton and Lincoln townships before settling in Lake township in 1962, near Holmes, where they farmed and raised 3 sons; Henry, Dan, and Jim. Last November, Bob and Mary Jean celebrated 60 years of marriage.

Bob loved to travel, and especially loved the mountains. He shared that love with his family, starting when the boys were quite young. Bob looked forward to those trips, but he was always impatient to return to the farm he loved. In addition to spending time with his family and friends, one of Bob’s greatest joys was getting up early to see the sunrise and feeling the warm sun on his face as he tended his crops and livestock.

Bob had a deep faith. From an early age, his devotion to the Catholic faith and particularly Mary, the mother of our Lord, was a central focus in his life and an inspiration to many.

Bob is survived by his much loved wife, Mary Jean, children Henry (Sandra) Hocraffer of Rochester, MN, Dan Hocraffer of Clarion, IA, and Jim (Brenda) Hocraffer of Lawson, MO. He is also survived by 8 grandchildren, Amy (Charles Franz) Hocraffer of Waialua, Oahu, HI, Robert Hocraffer of Madison, WI, Lisa Hocraffer of Minneapolis, MN, Laura Hocraffer of Ames, IA, Corey (Tricia) Storts of Ft. Riley, KS, Austin Storts of Ft. Drum, NY, Cade Hocraffer of Lawson, MO, and Carter Hocraffer of Lawson, MO.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings and their spouses: brother Don (Loyola) Hocraffer, Maureen (Alfred) Berding, Dorothy (Haydn) Jones, Jean (Bob) Lester, and his granddaughter Christine Hocraffer.