Robert "Mert" Mertens

Robert Mertens, 87, of Carroll, formerly of Fort Madison, died Friday, May 29, 2026, at Rolling Meadows Senior Living of Carroll. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 5, 2026, at Sacred Heart Church in Fort Madison. The Celebrant will be Rev. Gary Beckman. Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Fort Madison. A visitation will be held from 4:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at the King-Lynk Funeral Home in Fort Madison, with a Rosary at 5:30 p.m. Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the King-Lynk Funeral Home in Fort Madison and online condolences may be left for Robert's family at kinglynk.com. In lieu of flowers, Robert's family suggests memorial donations which will be directed to Gentiva Hospice. Mert was born on July 14, 1938, in the home of his parents Conrad and Kathryn Wilken Mertens in Fort Madison, Iowa. He was the fourth of five children and graduated from the first class at Aquinas High School in 1956. On August 19, 1961, he married Yvonne Mary Krogmeier at St. Mary’s Church in Fort Madison. They were married for 54 years. She preceded him in death on January 22, 2016. On November 26, 2016, he married Barbara Peacock Thomas at Sacred Heart Church in Fort Madison. Barbara preceded him in death on January 15, 2026. In Mert’s early years, he was a newspaper carrier and worked at Troy Cleaners as route salesman. When his children were born, he worked as a guard at the Iowa Army Ammunition plant in Middletown. He then went into carpentry work with his brother-in-law, Ronnie Holvey, as R & R Construction, then on his own as Mertens Construction. When the Santa Fe/ Burlington Northern Railroad moved his wife to Kansas City, he worked for Augustine Home Improvement Inc. in Overland Park, Kansas, as a carpenter for 13 years and there he retired. In retirement they moved to Hudson, Iowa to watch his grandchild’s activities and help with his son’s construction business. In 2012, he and Yvonne moved back to Fort Madison. Mert enjoyed working in his garage on building items out of wood and tinkering on his vehicles over the years. He owned timber land and property in Hillsboro with his brother Jim that he enjoyed taking care of that had belonged to their parents. Mert was an avid sports fan, especially the St. Louis Cardinals and the Iowa Hawkeyes. He and Yvonne square danced together while in Kansas City. Survivors include a daughter Mary Kay (Ken) Eischeid of Carroll, Iowa; a son Douglas (Connie) Martens of Hartwick, Iowa; three grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a sister Kathryn “Kay” (Ronnie) Holvey of Fort Madison; a sister-in-law Karen Wellman of Fort Madison; brothers-in-law Dean (Mary) Krogmeier of Innsbrook, MO and Wayne (Tami) Krogmeier of Plymouth, MI; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; two wives; his sisters Dorothy and Virginia Mertens; a brother Conrad James “Jim” Mertens; and his brother-in-law Mike Wellman.

Robert "Mert" Mertens

July 14, 1938 - May 29, 2026