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Robert J. Guntren, 82, of Storm Lake passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, March 18, 2026.
Memorial Mass will take place Saturday, March 28, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Storm Lake. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements.
Robert was born in Storm Lake to Walter and Mamie (Kacmarynski) Guntren in 1943 and he was a lifelong resident of the community. He graduated from St. Mary’s High School in 1961 and later attended the Universal Trade School in Omaha.
In his early 20s, Robert purchased Guntren Honey Aparies from his father, Walter. He grew the business into a successful enterprise and as a commercial beekeeper, he had hives in Southern Iowa, Texas and California.
On July 19, 1975, he was united in marriage to Susan Kohtz at Trinity Lutheran Church in Eden, Idaho, and together they raised five children.
One of Robert’s passions was duck hunting which led to his involvement in the organization Ducks Unlimited and it’s conservation efforts of restoring and managing the wetlands and habitats for North America’s waterfowl. He served as chairman of the Storm Lake chapter in the 1980s.
In his free time, he enjoyed rebuilding classic cars, especially the model that he drove in high school, a 1955 Chevy Bel Air. He loved trains, he was an avid collector, cooking for family and friends, gardening, painting and even held a private pilot’s license. He especially enjoyed
sharing his interests with family and friends.
Those left to cherish his memory are his children: Hans Guntren of Menlo Park, Calif.; Natalie (Joseph) Dorondo of Houston, Texas; Valerie Tetzlaff of Storm Lake; Heather (Michael) Ellis of Parker, Colo.; and Bethany (Cody) Martin of Portland, Ore.; nine grandchildren: Alexis, Tyler, Parker, Nathaniel, Brooklyn, Madison, Benjamin, Paxton and Emery. One great-grandchild, Vincent; his siblings: Mary Nicholls, Richard (Dodie) Guntren, Raymond (Karen) Guntren and Jean (Earl) Harper.
He was preceded in death by his wife Susan Guntren; his parents, Walter and Mamie Guntren; his sister Betty Moll; and his niece Emily Harper.
