Robert W. Gislason

Gislason, Robert W. 1925 - 2017 At age 91, he died peacefully in his home on Sunday, Jan. 22nd from complications of cancer. Born in Marshall, MN in 1925, Bob joined the Navy at 17 to fight in WWII. He emerged a Naval Officer and pilot and continued to serve his country in the Naval Reserves for 16 years. In 1946, Bob used the GI Bill to attend Carleton College in Northfield, MN where he met the love of his life, Patricia Anne Cross. They married a year later and began a 56 year beautiful life together. A William Mitchell Law School graduate, Bob practiced in St. Paul before founding what is now the Gislason, Martin, Varpness and Janes Law Firm in Edina in 1973. He was a successful trial lawyer for 40 years. He loved his home on Minnehaha Blvd. in Edina, where he enjoyed planting weeping willow trees along the Minnehaha Creek. Upon retirment, Bob and Pat moved to the warm beauty of Sun City, Rancho Vistoso, near Tucson, AZ, where they lived until their deaths. Bob is survived by Barbara J. Gislason, Esq. (Minnesota); daughter, Nancy G. Cox and her daughters, Chelsea and Kaci Cox (all Oregon) and Joan E. (Jodi) Gislason and her son Alexander D.J. Gislason (all Arizona). Bob was preceded in death by his daugher, Peggy in 1986, his wife Pat in 2004, and his dog, Bjornie in 2016. A memorial service will be held in Bob's honor on Sat., Jan. 28 at the Vistoso Funeral Home, Oro Valley,, AZ at 3 PM. Another memorial service will be held in MN on March 12, 2017 at a place & time to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to the American Cancer Society or a veteran's group.

Published on January 25, 2017