March 25, 2015
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IOWA CITY, Iowa – – Reverend Canon Robert E. Holzhammer, the long-time public address announcer at University of Iowa football and basketball games, passed away Tuesday, March 24. He was 92.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 11, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Iowa City. The family will welcome friends to a time of fellowship and celebration of Father Bob’s life at the Paul Brechler Press Box at Kinnick Stadium from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 11.
Known as `Father Bob’, Holzhammer first handled the public address announcing at Iowa football games in 1974. He added basketball announcing that same season. Holzhammer retired from the basketball announcing in 1999 and called his last football games during the 2000 season.
Holzhammer in 1989 was named an Honorary Letterman by the National Iowa Varsity Club. He was a member of the University of Iowa Alumni Association and the Varsity I Club.
Holzhammer was a graduate of Bellevue, Iowa, High School. He began his college career at Iowa after serving as a flyer in the Air Force in World War II. He graduated from Iowa in 1949. He earned his Master’s in Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1952, and a master’s in American Church History from the University of the South in 1971.
Holzhammer served parishes in Iowa Falls, Webster City, and Dubuque before moving to Iowa City in 1962, becoming Rector at Trinity Episcopal Church.
Father Bob is survived by his son, David (Jean) Holzhammer of Iowa City, and his daughter, Mary “Tina” (John) Strauss of Deerfield, Illinois; six grandchildren, Andrew (Amanda) Strauss of Carlsbad, California, Lindsay Holzhammer of Redondo Beach, California, Joseph Holzhammer of Iowa City, Rachel Strauss of Denver, Colorado, Ben Holzhammer of Iowa City, and Riley Strauss of Deerfield, Illinois; nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Edward, and his wife, Meredith.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to Trinity Episcopal Church, or to the University of Iowa Foundation.
