Robert George Row

A memorial service for Robert George Row of Sun Lakes, Arizona, formerly of Roseau, Minnesota will be held on Friday, July 10 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Roseau at 11:00 a.m.

Robert Row passed away peacefully in Hospice of the Valley in Tempe, AZ on May 21, 2015.

Robert George Row was born on April 14, 1931 in Roseau, MN to George and Anna Row.  He was both baptized into the Christian faith and confirmed at the English Lutheran Church in Roseau.

Bob attended Elementary School, Junior High, and Senior High at Roseau where he graduated in 1949.  He loved sports and lettered in football, basketball and baseball.  He then enrolled at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota where he was asked to play hockey, so he did.

As a junior in College at St. Olaf he met his future wife, Janet Myhre from Minneapolis while studying next to her at the Library.  Just before Bob graduated with a business degree in Business Administration they were engaged to be married.  They were married on December 28, 1953 at Jan’s home church, Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

Robert was drafted into the Army and he and Jan spent the next one and one half years in Germany.  It was a wonderful adventure.  When they returned to the United States they had added a new member to their family, a daughter Kathy.

Robert was honorably discharged from the Army in 1955 and went back to work in Roseau at his father’s business, the Roseau Row Lumber Company.  They had a second store in Badger, MN.  Both stores were founded by Robert’s father, George.  Robert continued at the Lumberyards and eventually purchased them from his dad.  He worked until 1987 and retired.  In 1990 Robert and Jan moved to Sun Lakes, Arizona.  He loved the hot weather.

Among the things Robert loved were God, his church, his wife Jan of 61 years, his children, and ice cream.  He enjoyed sports, history, geography, friends, and the music of Hawaii.  Roberts’s Pastor from Tempe, Arizona, Roger Gordon said this of Bob, “He was an engaging man, eager to talk to anyone. He made friends easily and enjoyed sharing stories and histories.”  He will be greatly missed.

Robert is survived by his wife Janet; children: Kathy and Tony Row, both of Minneapolis, and Larry (Twila) of Walla Walla, Washington; sister, Martha “Marty” (Richard) Roberts of Sun Lakes, Arizona; grandchildren: Danica (Shawn) Cardin, Willie Summers, Ashley (Conrad) Marchant and Shaun Gray, all of the Seattle, WA area; He is also survived by great-grandchildren Sydney Cardin and Liam Marchant.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents, son Andy Row, and nephew John Roberts.

 Service Information