Robert Louis Heins of West Union, a self-made builder responsible for hundreds of projects ranging from bathroom remodels to dormitories, died peacefully at the Stoney Brook assisted living facility on Sunday, November 16, 2025. He was 94. Known as a quick study and problem solver despite just an eighth-grade education, Bob developed a reputation as the go-to guy for advice on remodeling or construction projects. He especially relished projects to help his widespread family. He also loved fixing things, with his family joking that the best gift for him would be a broken weed whacker or a misbehaving vacuum cleaner.
Born to Victor and Mabel Heins on August 3, 1931, Bob spent his childhood on the family farm near Waukon and later near West Union, where he learned early on that farming would not be his career. He explored several different positions, among them being automobile repair, hardware store fix-it man, pest control salesman, creamery work, and handyman at a meat packer. He excelled at all of them, an example being his expertise in fixing a design flaw in early Maytag washing machines.
One day in the 1960s he noticed an advertisement for construction workers in Decorah, where the dormitories at Luther College were being built. Always handy with tools, Bob said he would work for free for a week if they would give him a chance. He was told he would be paid the going rate whether he was hired or not. He excelled at the work and a week later, with paycheck and new job offer in hand, he submitted a two-week notice at the creamery in West Union. He was fired on the spot, with the creamery man telling Bob not to bother coming back when the new job didn’t work out. Weeks later Bob enjoyed showing his new paycheck to the creamery man. It was more than double the amount he used to earn while making butter.
Bob quickly won the confidence of supervisors at Black Hawk Construction of Waterloo, which later became Cardinal Construction. He learned the basics of construction – reading blueprints, finishing cement, operating heavy machinery- and later showed talent at bidding jobs and managing crews. He went on to supervise construction of major buildings, including the public hospital in Knoxville, the community college in Fort Dodge, several additional structures at Luther College, and the new high school in West Union. After retiring, he and son Mike began a residential and commercial construction company in West Union, building many homes and remodeling others. Along the way Bob built two family homes in West Union, the first at the corner of Jefferson and Auburn and the second next door at 304 Auburn.
Bob was preceded in death by his wife Darlene (Schneider) whom he married on Jan. 21, 1951, at St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Elgin. Darlene died in 2018. He was also preceded in death by his brother Leonard.
Bob is survived by his sister Elaine Jermeland of West Union and three children, nine grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. Bob’s son, Michael and Barb (Einck) of West Union have four children: Chris of Festina, Derek of West Union, Justin of West Union, and Erin of Ossian. Chris and Ashlyn (Backes) are the parents of Mason, Kellan, and Everly. Derek and Jill (Kuehner) have Hilton, Preston, and Lynston. Justin and Brittany (Buddenberg) are the parents of Decklyn, Beckett, Schuler, and Vera. Erin and Kyle Tieskoetter have Reese and Quinn. Bob’s daughter Diane and Roger Munns of Des Moines have three children: Mollie of Des Moines, Alex of Chicago, and Andres of South Miami. Mollie and Robert Wallace are the parents of Beau. Andres and Amber (Williams) are the parents of Lorelei, Emma, Sabrina, and Nico. Alex is father of Sidney and Leo. Bob’s daughter Rhonda and Dave Robinson of Hugo, Okla., are the parents of Cory, Brooke, and Megan. Cory and Jackie (Hollingsworth) of Oklahoma City are the parents of Hayden, Grayson and Harlow. Brooke and Rodney Cox of Oklahoma City are the parents of Kingston and Kaizen. Megan lives in Denver, Colo.
Funeral Service will be at 11:00 am with a visitation from 9:30 am until time of service on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at Zion Lutheran Church in West Union, Iowa with Rev. Isaiah Stansberry as the officiant.
Burial will follow in the West Union City Cemetery in West Union, Iowa
Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of West Union, Iowa is assisting the family with services.