Dr. Robert "Bob" W. Rosenbrook, age 83, of Pennock, passed away Tuesday, August 12, at the St. Cloud Hospital, surrounded by his loving family.
A celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 19, at Vinje Lutheran Church in Willmar. Interment will be at St. Olaf Cemetery in Grantsburg, Wisconsin at a later date. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, August 18, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church. Bob donated his body to the University of Minnesota Bequest Program. In lieu of flowers, memorials to honor Bob's life and legacy are preferred. Arrangements are entrusted to Peterson Brothers Funeral Home. www.petersonbrothers.com
Bob was born June 30, 1942, at home in Cooks Valley Township in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, to Herbert and Laura (Kressin) Rosenbrook. He grew up on a dairy farm and graduated as valedictorian from Bloomer High School in 1960. He attended University of Wisconsin - River Falls where he met his future wife Dolores (Dee) Dahl. They were married June 13, 1964, and moved to Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, and then Madison, while Bob attended graduate school at the University of Wisconsin. Bob attained a Master of Science and Ph.D degree in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the University.
He began a successful career with Pioneer Hi-Bred International in 1968 as a Plant Breeder and Research Station Manager in Mankato, Minnesota. In 1985 he was promoted to Northern Regional Research Coordinator and moved to rural Pennock, Minnesota in 1987. He worked out of Pioneer’s Willmar, Minnesota, office until his retirement in 2000, having attained the positions of Regional Research Director and Senior Scientist.
During his working years Bob was a member of the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America. In 2008 a graduate fellowship in plant breeding at the University of Wisconsin was named in honor of his accomplishments in corn improvement.
Bob’s favorite hobbies were spending time at the lake cabin, fishing, hunting, traveling, gardening, and enjoying time with his grandchildren.
Bob was a member of Vinje Lutheran Church in Willmar, having served on various boards and committees; member of Pheasants Forever and Willmar Kiwanis, serving as president in 2015-16; member of the Pennock Lions Club, serving as Secretary and Treasurer for many years and receiving the prestigious Melvin Jones award; and active with Habitat for Humanity after retirement as a volunteer, building supervisor, and committee member.
Bob is survived by his wife of 61 years, Dee; daughter, Laurie (Mike) Ukestad of New Hope, Minnesota, granddaughters Rachael and Morgan Ukestad; son Brad Rosenbrook (Sherry Habighorst) of Crosby, Minnesota; Tanya Isaacson, mother of granddaughters Meghan, Sarah, and Marissa Rosenbrook; sisters Janice Ludwigson, Bloomer, Wisconsin, and Shirley Woodruff, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; sister-in-law Rebecca Rosenbrook of Onalaska, Wisconsin, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Gordon and Thomas, brothers-in-law Harold Ludwigson, Dell Woodruff and nephew, David Woodruff.
Peterson Brothers Funeral Home
Vinje Lutheran Church
Vinje Lutheran Church
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