Robert Carl 'Bob' Vanstrum

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Vanstrum, Robert "Bob" Carl 93, went home on April 27th, 2023. Bob was born to Raymond and Linda Vanstrum on July 30th, 1929 in Mpls, MN. He was an outstanding student and graduated at age 16 from Edison High School in Mpls. Bob attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN where he lettered in golf and wrote for the school newspaper. He served in the army during the Korean War, and later graduated from the University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in both Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. He married MN golf champion Beverly Gammon in December of 1956. They went on to have 4 children, Kristi, Matthew, Erik, and Kirk. Bob had a distinguished 35-year career with 3M in the Traffic Materials Division (he holds 7 U.S. patents) and retired in 1994 as a Division Scientist. Bob enjoyed golf, gardening, cooking, camping, traveling, skiing, and solving math and word puzzles. He was an avid Minnesota sports fan and loved to follow the Gophers, the Twins, and especially, the Vikings. Bob's Christian faith and passion for digging into the Bible never wavered. He was a long-time member of Arlington Hills Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota before joining St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, MN in 1977. He sang in the choir at the 1961 Billy Graham crusade and helped to start a Young Life chapter in White Bear Lake in the 1960s. He supported many Christian organizations over the years including Campus Crusade for Christ. Bob was a dutiful spouse to Bev who succumbed to Parkinson's disease in 2009. His last years were spent at Boutwell's Landing in Oak Park Heights, MN surrounded by many faithful caregivers. Bob is preceded in death by his parents, sister Patricia (Gordon) Evans, his wife Bev, infant son Matthew, and grandsons Keith and Craig Killian. He is survived by his children Kris Killian (Doug), Erik Vanstrum (Mary Ann) and Kirk Vanstrum (Melissa) and five grandchildren, Molly Ratgen (Luke), Karl Vanstrum, John Vanstrum, Annika Vanstrum and Greta Vanstrum. A celebration of Bob's life will be held at 11AM Saturday, June 3rd at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, 900 Stillwater Road in Mahtomedi, with a visitation beginning at 10AM. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Young Life Organization and/or Campus Crusade for Christ. bradshawfuneral.com 651-439-5511

Published on May 14, 2023