OSAGE — Robert Charles Wilde, 89, of Osage, Iowa, died Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at the Good Samaritan Society in St. Ansgar, surrounded by his family.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, August 24, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1202 390th Street, west of Osage. Burial will follow at St. John’s Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, August 23, at Hoff Celebrations Funeral Home in St. Ansgar.
Robert was born March 19, 1937, on the family farm near Grafton, the son of Clarence and Laura Wilde. He was the second of three children and was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church near Osage.
He attended Rock 6 country school near Grafton during his younger years and graduated from Grafton High School in 1955. During high school, Robert enjoyed theater as well as playing basketball and baseball.
Robert married his high school sweetheart, Clarice, on October 28, 1956, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Manly. Together they raised four children and built a life centered around family, faith and farming.
Robert worked on the family farm, raising hogs and cattle along with corn and soybeans. He had a particular fondness for orange Allis-Chalmers tractors and owned seven of them during his farming years.
His working life also included a lengthy career with David Manufacturing. Robert was among the company’s first employees, later attended NIACC to study drafting and became a production engineer. He spent 38 years with the company and took pride in helping it grow.
Outside of work, Robert enjoyed traveling with his family throughout the United States and Canada, as well as making several trips to Europe.
Fishing was another lifelong passion, and Robert especially enjoyed passing his knowledge of the sport on to younger generations of his family.
He also took considerable pride in his home, yard and flowers, and could frequently be found outside tending to them.
Robert and Clarice shared an enthusiasm for collecting Flow Blue antique china, traveling around the country in search of special additions to their collection.
Faith remained an important part of Robert’s life. He was a longtime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and served on numerous church boards and committees.
Above all, Robert was devoted to his family and took great pride in his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He is survived by his children, Denise Miller and her special friend John Safranski of Bloomington, Minnesota, Scott Wilde and his wife Susan of Grafton, and Brenda Wilde of St. Ansgar; son-in-law John Larson and his wife Cathy of Estherville; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Deanna Sande; brother-in-law Marvin Hanson; and many nieces and nephews.
Robert was preceded in death by his wife, Clarice Wilde; his parents, Clarence and Laura Wilde; siblings Eugene Wilde and Sharon Hanson; daughter Jeannene Larson; and granddaughter Dana Miller.
The family expressed special appreciation to the staff of Faith Home Assisted Living in Osage, the Good Samaritan Society in St. Ansgar and St. Croix Hospice for the care Robert received.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Faith Home Assisted Living in Osage, the Good Samaritan Society of St. Ansgar or St. John’s Lutheran Church.
Hoff Celebrations – Schroeder Chapel of St. Ansgar is handling arrangements. To read more and see the full obituary, please click here.
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