Roberta Mae “Bert” Burnes

Roberta Mae "Bert" Burnes

Roberta Mae “Bert” Burnes, 85, of Tama, passed away Sunday, December 27, 2020 at UnityPoint-Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, January 2, 2021 at 11:00 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Tama with Father Dennis Conway officiating. Interment will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Tama. There will be no public visitation. Masks and social distancing are required. For those not comfortable or unable to attend, the Mass will be live streamed on Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home and Cremation Services Facebook page.

Roberta was born on January 19, 1935, in Tama, Iowa, the daughter of Joseph and Anna (Kocourek) Moyer.

She graduated from Tama High School in 1952.

On June 4, 1953, she was united in marriage to Richard “Dick” Burnes in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Bert’s family was her main occupation, but after her kids were in school she worked at Mother’s Kitchen Cafe in Tama, the VFW in Tama, and the Tama-Toledo Country Club as a kitchen manager/bartender for many years. Bert was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Tama where she was involved in CCW. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, VFW Auxiliary, and the South Tama Booster Club. She enjoyed cooking and knitting. Bert was the “bus driver” for driving around all of her kids to their activities and sporting events.

Survivors include one daughter, Cheryl Kupka of Tama; four sons, Rick (Debbie) Burnes of Toledo, Ron (Ronda) Burnes of Tama, Randy (Renee) Burnes of Marshalltown, and Ray (Jenni) Burnes of Huxley; step-daughter, Kris (Tom) Husseman of Santee, CA; ten grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; eight great-great grandchildren; one brother, Robert (Nancy) Moyer of Keosauqua; sisters-in-law, Ruth Moyer and Ethel Rosenberger; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Dick in 2002; a son, Robert Joseph Burnes; brothers, Donald, Richard, and Mark Moyer; and sisters, Devota Coomer, and JoAnn Novotny.

A memorial fund will be established.

Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home, Tama-Toledo, is assisting the family with arrangements.