Robert M. Brodin

Fort Lewis, WA (1957-1958); Fort Belvoir, VA (1957);
  • Military specialty: Water Supply
  • Awards: Unknown

b. 23 Dec 1933; d. 28 Aug 2018. Robert Merlyn “Bob” Brodin was born at the Lutheran Girls Home in Minneapolis.  At one week of age, he was adopted and named by Henry Robert and Manda Alvine (Johnson) Brodin of Delafield Twp., Jackson Co., MN. He graduated from Windom High School in Windom, MN in 1951. He then attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD for a few weeks until his father’s death from a heart attack. He then returned home to farm.

He was inducted into the U.S. Army in Mar 1957 and assigned to Fort Lewis, WA, for basic training.  He spent two years at Fort Lewis and then was transferred to Fort Belvoir, VA, where he underwent “Water Supply” training at The Engineer School.  After graduation, he was then returned to Fort Lewis where he was assigned as a ‘Water Supply Foreman’ to the 4th Infantry Division.

On 17 Aug 1963, Bob married Rosalie Ann Tollefson; they had two children. A year later, they moved to Tacoma, WA where he enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University. While there, Bob learned that his mother was ill with lymphoma so they returned to the farm to help his mother.  He furthered his education at Augustana College until the following spring’s fieldwork began.  He continued to farm until 1994 when he retired from farming in order to care for Rosalie who had lived with MS since 1971 and needed more help. His caregiving lasted until two months before his passing.

Bob was active in the Delafield Lutheran Church, served on the Jackson County Historical Society Board for fifteen years and was privileged to be named  Jackson County’s Citizen of the Year in 2008. He also was elected to the Augustana College Board of Regents where he served for twelve years.

Bob was buried at the Delafield Township Cemetery in rural Windom.

  • Obituary: Yes