White Funeral Home
400 First Street West
Independence, Iowa 50644

Independence – Robert R. Hummel, 81 years old, of Independence, Iowa, died on Sunday, April 30, 2017, at ABCM Rehab. of Independence – West Campus, in Independence.  He was born at Mercy Hospital in Oelwein, Iowa, on August 1, 1935, the son of Roy and Leona Matilda (Meihe) Hummel.  He graduated from high school in Independence with the Class of 1952.  After graduation, he worked for Hoffman Brothers Construction in Independence.  During the Korean Conflict, Mr. Hummel served in the U.S. Army (June 1954 to June 1976).  On June 16, 1957, he and the former Gloria Jean Harland were married at the Baptist Church in Aurora, Iowa.  At the time of his retirement in 2000, Mr. Hummel was the Emergency Management Commissioner for Buchanan County.  Before that, he farmed in Buchanan County and owned and operated several businesses in Independence.  He was the Executive Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Buchanan County Zoning and the Sanitation Administrator.  He served as the president for the Independence Food Pantry, and volunteered with Operation Threshold.  After retiring, he started working at the Hazardous Waste house at the Independence land fill “just for something to do.”

Mr. Hummel was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Independence and he was a member of the Independence Fire Department and the Quasqueton Fire Department for 25 years.  He was a life member of the Bechter-Boies VFW Post #2440 (where he served as Post Commander, VFW District Commander, and VFW State Inspector) and a member of the Sheehan-Tidball American Legion Post #30.

Mr. Hummel is survived by his wife of 59 years, Gloria, 2 daughters, Linda Hummel of Independence, Iowa, and Karen (Shawn) Mahoney of Madrid, Iowa, 1 son, Steve (Cindy) Hummel of Independence, 5 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, 3 brothers-in-law, Tim McInteer, Duke Harland, and Bob Harland, and 1 sister-in-law, Dixie Harland.

Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at the First Presbyterian Church in Independence with Rev. John Hougen officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Independence.  Friends may call for visitation from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2^nd, at the White Funeral Home in Independence where a Military Services begins at 7 p.m.