Robert A. Haburn, age 87, of Albert City, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, May 16, 2008 at his home.

Funeral service for Mr. Haburn will be held Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at the Bethel Baptist Church in Newell. Burial will be in the Newell Cemetery. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home of Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements.

Friends may call from 4:00-8:00 p.m. on Monday, May 19, 2008 at the Bethel Baptist Church in Newell, where the family will be present.

Robert A. Haburn was born November 20, 1920 on a farm in Hayes Township, south of Storm Lake, Iowa. He was the second child of Lloyd E. and Grace J. (Combes) Haburn.

Bob attended Hayes Consolidated School until March of 1927, when he moved with his parents to a farm near Russell, Minnesota, where they lived for seven years. While there, he attended a country school near Russell. During this time, the family attended the First Baptist Church of Russell, Minnesota. Church and Sunday School were an important part of the rural life. Bob accepted Christ as his personal Savior as a young boy and was baptized at the First Baptist Church in Tyler, Minnesota in 1931.

In March of 1933, the family moved to a farm near Lake Park, Iowa. Bob attended Excelsior Consolidated School, graduating in 1938. Upon graduation, he continued to farm with his father in their dairy and general farm operation.

On October 4, 1942, Bob was united in marriage to LaVonne Lundberg of Alta, Iowa. Shortly after the wedding, he was inducted into the military, but soon received notice of deferment. The couple was blessed with four children: Kathy, Paul, Ted and Lori.

Bob and his family continued to farm in Dickinson county until January of 1955. Due to back injuries, they sold out, left the farm and moved to Newell. He was then employed as a Registered Sales Representative for State Bond Sales Corp. of New Ulm, Minnesota for the next 39 years. Throughout his career, he won many sales awards as well as several co-sponsored trips for he and his wife.

The First Baptist Church was their place of worship for many years. Bob was an active member, who had served as the Sunday School Superintendent and on the Board of Deacons. Presently, Bob and LaVonne are both members of Bethel Baptist Church.

Bob served on the Buena Vista Board of Review for seven years, as well as on the committee for Meals on Wheels and the Helpers Club at the Good Samaritan Center. While his sons were young, he was also very active in the Cub Scout organization.

He enjoyed golf (which his sons taught him), loved fishing, especially his trips to Canada and Minnesota. Bob especially cherished the many bus trips he and LaVonne took throughout the United States and Canada.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, LaVonne; his children: Kathy (Paul) Miller of Grand Lake, Colorado; Paul (Teresa) Haburn of Fort Worth, Texas; Ted (Van Marie) Haburn of Port St. Lucie, Florida; and Lori (Dale) Arends of Newell, Iowa; grandchildren: Courtney (Patrick) Clayton, Kelly (Eric) Schwarm, 1st LT. Matthew (Colleen) Miller, Danielle Arends, Rob (Emly) Arends; five great-grandchildren: Jessica Mayberry, Ethan and Ryleigh Miller, Carson and Cashton Clayton and Ryan Robert Arends; two sisters: Virginia and Juanita; and one brother, Bill; as well as a host of friends.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Grace; sisters: Mary Lou Hovda and Joyce Johnson; brother, Arnold; brothers-in-law, Cyril Bundy, Wayne Peterson, Wil Hovda and Glen Johnson.