Robert J. Thomann, 38, passed from this life on Monday, May 11, 2026. His funeral will be Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 10:30 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Riverside. The service will be available via Livestream on the Beatty Peterseim Facebook and YouTube pages. Burial will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Riverside. Visitation will be held Friday, May 15, 2026, from 3 – 7 PM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Riverside. A general memorial fund has been established.

Robert Joseph Thomann was born November 5, 1987, in Iowa City, Iowa, the son of Ronald and Charlotte (Smith) Thomann. He graduated from Highland High School in 2006. While working at Paul’s Discount in Iowa City, he met the love of his life, Anna Conaway. Robert has worked at Stevens Erosion Control in Hills for 15 years. Robert was an outdoorsman, enjoying fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, trapping, mushroom hunting, going to the river, and gardening, including a huge pumpkin patch. He was a kid at heart and loved spending time with his nieces and nephews. Uncle Robert spoiled them every chance he got, buying them meaningful gifts and taking them to see his sheep and other animals. Robert would buy fireworks every year and had his own fireworks show after the Hills 4th of July show. He also collected blow molds for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Anna and Robert loved to eat Mexican food and take Saturday day trips. They currently have two cats that are part of the family: Mushy and Stuart, and their cat Jackson “Potato” passed away previously. Robert was a man of few words, was very intelligent, and could fix anything. He would drop what he was doing to help someone in need. Robert loved trying new things, whether it was cooking, baking, or building something.

Survivors include his longtime partner Anna of Kalona, mother Charlotte Thomann of Riverside, brother Paul (Sarah) Thomann of Riverside, niece Cecilia and nephew Charlie Thomann, paternal grandmother Betty Thomann of Hills, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. Also surviving are Anna’s family: her mother, Kim Conaway; her brothers, Robbie and Sam Conaway (Lauren Thomann), her sisters: Marce (Mitch) Billups, Grace Conaway (Jathan Kron), and her nieces and nephews: Logan, Caleb, Cade, Louis, Eva, and Mimi.

Preceding Robert in death were his father Ron, his paternal grandfather Joe Thomann, maternal grandparents Cecil and Alice Smith, two aunts: Rose Amelon and Joan Horesowsky, and uncle Tom Noldan.