Walz, Robert "Bob" George of North Branch, born October 14, 1946 in St. Paul, died July 28, 2020 as a result of a severe head injury from a fall. He was 73 years old. From the beginning, Bob pursued vocations where his deep commitment to social justice and dedication to his community were front and center. He worked as a county social services director for 20-plus years, then switched careers and joined the St. Paul Area Council of Churches as a program manager for 8 years. His passion for social justice brought him to Guardian Angels Catholic Church, where he served as a Pastoral Minister until his retirement in 2012. Bob embraced retirement with the same enthusiasm he had shown in his career. Now there would be even more time for all the things he loved and the list was long. He became a Master Gardener, a Master Naturalist, and Coordinator of the Bluebird Recovery Project in Chisago County. He was a Rotarian, a Birder, an Ambassador for the Alaska Wilderness League, active in many environmental causes, a champion of social justice, and active in politics. He was a life-long learner and spent many hours reading and teaching others about birds, plants, butterflies, pollinators, and so much more. He enjoyed ballroom dancing and campfires in his beautiful backyard overlooking the Sunrise River, sipping a glass of wine by the pond with his wife Jeanne, and traveling the world, especially Latin America where he could practice the Spanish he was so dedicated to learning. Bob was always enthusiastically on-hand to help with the fundraisers for Lakes Center for Youth and Families that was headed up by Jeanne. Most of all Bob delighted in being a grandfather: spending time with Ellak, watching him build airplanes and excel in science; teaching Graham chess and watching his ninja warrior antics; cherishing story time with Jamue, teaching him all about birds; and all the while blowing kisses, smiling and waving to baby brother Björn. He so enjoyed his only granddaughter Caroline, always getting hugs and kisses from her while playing Go Fish, taking walks at family camp, eating breakfast together, and sharing his grandpa juice. Bob is preceded in death by father Harold L. Walz, mother Ione D. Walz, brother Thomas H. Walz, sister Petra O. Cusick, brother John A. Walz, brother Harold Walz Jr., nephew Carl Walz, niece Jennifer Holloway, and step-daughter Kelly Jeanne Thompson. Survived by his wife Jeanne Willis Walz, daughter Alisa (Tony) Walz-Flannigan, son Joseph M. (Franziska) Walz, daughter Anika J. (Philip) Kaleewoun, and stepson Christian J. (Christina) Townsend; brother Richard (Claire Mirat) Walz, sisters Mary (Shaun) Kennedy and Margie (Bill) Dahlof, brother Michael Joseph "Joe" (Cindy) Walz and, sister Carol (Brian) Hoag; five grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. A closed family funeral will be held Friday, August 14th at 11:00 am at Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Oakdale, MN. The funeral will be livestreamed. Go to guardian-angels.org/… or go to guardian-angels.org and click on "Funeral Information" button, or type the keyword "Funeral" in the search bar. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the Alaska Wilderness League, alaskawild.org, and the Bluebird Recovery Program of the Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis, bbrp.org/donate/ or at P.O. Box 984, Faribault, MN 55021 or any environmental group or social justice cause of the donor's choice.

Published on August 9, 2020