Robert "Bob" Lien

     Robert “Bob” Lien, age 78, of Decorah, IA, died on Thursday, July 3, 2014, at his home.      Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 8, 2014, at the Springfield Lutheran Church, 1969 Middle Calmar Road, Decorah, IA, with Rev. Phillip Olson presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery.      Friends may call from 3:00-7:00 p.m., on Monday, July 7, 2014, at the Schluter – Balik Funeral Home and also after 10:00 a.m., at the church on Tuesday morning.      Robert Edward Lien was born on July 17, 1935, the son of Elmer and Grace (Borness) Lien on a farm near Eldorado, Iowa. Bob moved with his family to the Lien family farm in Springfield Township that was homesteaded by his great grandfather in 1853. Bob attended the Nerlie Country School, near the Springfield Lutheran Church and then graduated from Calmar High School in 1954. Bob was united in marriage to Marlys Wilkens on June 2, 1957 at the Decorah Lutheran Church. Bob farmed the family farm his entire life with the sixth generation of Lien’s currently on the farm. Bob was given the Winneshiek County Pioneer Dairyman Award and the Distinguished Dairyman Award. Bob enjoyed collecting John Deere tractors of all kinds. His enjoyment in the past few years was driving in all tractorcades with the Rivers and Bluffs Tractor Club. He was proud of driving his “B”, which was a tractor that his father farmed with. Bob was an active member of the Springfield Lutheran Church, serving in many capacities, He was involved with the Sons of Norway, the Winneshiek Dairy Council; He served as Township Trustee, and was a 4-H Leader. Bob’s greatest joy was his family and he enjoyed attending his children and grandchildren’s activities.      Bob is survived by his wife: Marlys Lien, Decorah, IA. Three sons: Gary (Patty) Lien, Calmar, IA; Scott (Sally) Lien, Newport Beach, CA; and Kris (Pamela) Lien, Sheldon, IA. Seven grandchildren: Kari, Aaron, Megan, Mikayla, Isaac, Taylor and Shayla Lien. Three sisters: Viola (Conley) Linderbaum, Ossian, IA; Celia (Harold) Stoen, Highlandville, IA, and Helen Thune, Davenport, IA. Two brothers: Ray (Aurora) Lien, Orlando, FL, and Harold (Janice) Lien, Rochester, MN. Uncle: Einar (Jenny) Borness, Decorah, IA. One sister-in-law: Mary (John) Jensen, College Place, WA. Two brothers-in-law: Wilbur (Jeanie) Wilkens, St. Joseph, MN, and Bill (Phyllis) Wilkens, Asheville, NC, along with many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and cousins.      Bob was preceded in death by his parents: Elmer and Grace (Borness) Lien. His daughter: Deb Lien Rausch in 1993, his father and mother-in-law: William and Esther Wilkens, one brother-in-law: Dean Thune.