ROBERT "BOB" LESTER WALHOVD

Robert (Bob) Lester Walhovd, 89, of Brownsville, MN, died May 21, 2019 at Mayo Health Systems, LaCrosse, WI. Bob was born to Lester Charles and Bertha (Trumpy) Walhovd on March 29, 1930 in Janesville, WI. Bob was the third oldest among six children. Their family resided in Janesville through Bob’s grammar years, after which the family moved to Birchwood, WI where he graduated on May 21, 1948 from Birchwood Union Free High School. Bob was known as “Bobby” in high school, where he played basketball, baseball and cymbals in the marching band. He left for school early in the morning so he could fish on his way to school. Bob’s job throughout high school was helping out with the family business “Echo Bay Resort”. Bob actually helped his father build the cabins and docks on the resort. They also cut pulpwood for extra income in the winter. Bob enlisted in the Air Force on December 7, 1950 for four years. While serving his country as a member of the Air Police at Tulln Air Force Base in Austria, he became a Staff Sargent. He told us of fishing and hunting stories from the weekends during his enlisted time in the Air Force, proving that no matter where you go, you can always fish and hunt. After returning home from the Air Force Bob worked in Milwaukee, WI, and then returned to Birchwood, WI where he met Carol (Heisler) Palen. Bob and Carol were married on August 8, 1959 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Birchwood, WI. They resided in Birchwood, WI, and Richland Center, WI before moving to Brownsville, MN in 1962 where they lived for the remainder of their 59 yrs. of marriage. They had four children, Gary, Susan, Gerald and Pamela. Bob held various jobs before taking his position as a machinist at C&C Machine Shop in La Crosse, WI. After retiring in 1993 he and Carol took two extended trips to Alaska which he often talked about. Bob then returned to working various jobs until 2017, most notably working part time for many years at ABLE Inc. Bob worked for over 70 years of his 89 years of life. Bob’s civic duties and community activities was another big part of his life. He was a Justice of the Peace for many years where he notarized documents and presided at weddings. He was a Boy Scout Leader for Gerald’s troop, was in the Brownsville VFW where he marched in several parades and was a member of the color guard at many funerals. Bob was also in the Brownsville Lions Club which he was dedicated to and a dedicated worker. His favorite activity was the annual gun raffle which he coordinated the purchase of the guns being raffled off. He was very proud of the work the Lions Club accomplished. Bob was a lifetime member of St. Patrick’s Church in Brownsville and for many years took care of the church grounds and maintenance for the church cemetery, often enlisting the help of his children in this work. He did other work for St. Patrick’s Church over the years, mostly items that his wife felt needed to be attended to. Bob was a busy man in work and in leisure. He bowled in two bowling leagues, played softball, was an excellent swimmer, hunted whitetail and mule deer, turkey, squirrel, antelope, moose, and going to Montana to hunt, and visit with his brother-in-law Jim Way, was his favorite. He did all his own processing of the meat and many family members and friends reaped the benefits of the different recipes he used in preparing and smoking his wild meat. Bob spent many hours in the woods cutting firewood to heat his house. He also went into the woods to find ginseng and morel mushrooms, hickory nuts and walnuts and to pick wild raspberries. Bob always had a large garden which he raised everything from tomatoes to popcorn. He took care of our family horse and raised some beef cows with Jr. Shuda. Bob was never still and could out work most, but he loved fishing! Fishing was where he always desired to be, from the weekly fishing contests to salmon snagging, shrimping, deep water fishing in Florida, trout and bass fishing in MN and WI and halibut fishing in Alaska. Family vacations were taken only if Bob could fish there and weddings were planned around all fishing and hunting seasons. Bob was a great father, teacher, mentor, friend and husband. He loved his children and provided for each of them, but he got great delight and joy in his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Our family called him the baby whisper, as every child was drawn to him. Babies melted his heart and he held them as often as possible, he talked of them often. Bob lived by these words “stay humble, work hard and be kind”. Bob is survived by his children Susan (Palen) & Gary Reihl, Gerald Walhovd and Pamela Walhovd. Grandchildren: Seth Palen, Alesia (Adam) Hofschulte, Aaron (Christa) Reihl, Anthony Reihl, Natalie Stone, Bryce Ottman, Anastasia Walhovd, Roslyn (Walhovd) & Jordan Casey. Great-Grandchildren: Aiden and Arya Hofschulte, Harrison and Caleb Reihl. Robert was preceded in death by: son Gary Palen, wife Carol (Heisler-Palen) Walhovd, parents, Lester Charles & Bertha (Trumpy) Walhovd, brothers: Victor Walhovd, Eugene Walhovd, Larry Walhovd, sisters: Marian (Walhovd) Way and Judith (Walhovd) Couture. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 am, Saturday, June 1st, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Brownsville. Father Greg Havel and Father Paul Breza and will officiate and burial with military honors will occur at St. Patrick's Cemetery, following the funeral lunch after the service. Visitation will be from 5-7:30 pm Friday, at St. Patrick's Breza Hall where a rosary will be said at 5 pm. Visitation will also be from 9-9:45 am Saturday morning before the service at the hall.

ROBERT "BOB" LESTER WALHOVD

March 29, 1930 - May 21, 2019