Robert Netteland Obituary

Robert James Netteland of Urbandale, Iowa, passed away on Sunday May 25, 2025, at the age of 84 while traveling in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was born on June 23, 1940, in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, to the late Otto and Tessie (King) Netteland.

Robert, known to friends and family as Bob, graduated from Lincoln High School in 1957 at the age of sixteen. He went on to earn a B.A. in Economics from St. Olaf College in 1961, and two years later completed a Master’s in Industrial Relations at the University of Minnesota.

Bob went on to work at the Mayo Clinic, where he met Bonnie Moon. The two quickly fell in love, and were married on April 24, 1965. They celebrated their 60th anniversary in April of this year.

In 1973, Bob and Bonnie moved from Burnsville, Minnesota, to Des Moines, Iowa. Bob worked for General Growth before striking out on his own. He had a keen eye for real estate, managing an impressive portfolio across multiple states and splitting his days between Iowa and Florida.

An intrepid adventurer, Bob spent much of his time traveling and biking. He biked across dozens of states and even several European countries. He completed RAGBRAI countless times, as well as Tour de France and other bicycle tours. Each of his trips to Europe began and ended with a week on the Queen Mary 2. Bob also loved to exercise his mind, and was an expert at Bridge and solitaire.

Bob is survived by his wife Bonnie, daughter Kristen, son Stephen, daughter Erin, son-in-law Jeff, and his grandchildren Katherine, Zachary, Rowan, and Nelson. He is preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Tessie Netteland, as well as his brothers, Dale Netteland and Donald Netteland, and his sister, Beverly Lian.

Funerary services will be held at 4pm on Thursday, June 5, Iles Dunn’s Funeral Home in Des Moines, with visitation from 5-7pm. In lieu of flowers, help celebrate Bob’s love of biking by sending donations to the Raccoon River Valley Trail, 14581 K Avenue, Perry, IA 50220.



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