Kathryn Jean Robbs

Kathryn “Kathy” Jean Carlson Robbs passed away on April 2, 2026.

Kathy was born on March 9, 1939, at Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to John and Evelyn Carlson. She was the youngest of three, growing up alongside her brother John and sister Pauline. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1957. Kathy loved sharing stories and visiting places from her childhood with her grandkids—memories like going to Dave’s Popcorn and visiting Minnehaha Falls, which always brought a smile to her face.

She shared a special and lasting bond with Bob Robbs. After Bob returned from the Army, they were married and went on to raise four beautiful daughters. In 1972, they made their home in Prior Lake. Though they were married for 25 years, they remained best friends for another 25—something Kathy truly valued and held close to her heart.

Proud of her roots, Kathy stayed connected to her community throughout her life. From 1996–1997, she served as the Fred Babcock #5555 Richfield, MN VFW Auxiliary President—another place the family loved to visit and see her picture displayed.

Kathy had a deep love for travel and adventure. She explored many places around the world, including Hawaii, New Zealand, Mexico, Europe, Australia, and many cities throughout the United States. While she enjoyed traveling on her own, what she loved most was traveling with her family—making memories, sharing experiences, and simply being together.

She was incredibly proud of her Swedish heritage and spent years researching her family history. She dedicated herself to building her family tree, traveling across states to gather records and even making a meaningful trip to Sweden to meet relatives. It meant so much to her to understand where she came from and to pass that legacy on to her family.

Above all, Kathy’s greatest joy in life was being a grandma. It was the role she loved most. She showed up to everything she could—games, events, and activities—and was always the proudest cheerleader. Her grandkids knew they could always count on her, whether they needed encouragement, someone to listen, or a safe place to share anything.

Kathy will be remembered for the simple but deeply meaningful things—like her early morning birthday phone calls that made everyone feel special. She was also the kind of person you could call anytime, no questions asked, and she would be there.

She is now reunited in heaven with her parents, John and Evelyn Carlson; her best friend and the father of her children, Bob Robbs; her sister, Pauline Jordan; her sister-in-law, Shirley Carlson; her sons-in-law, Joe Muelken and Burt Pasvogel; and Lori’s longtime partner, Bill Wildes.

She is survived by her daughters, Lynn Nelson, Lisa Pasvogel, Lori Friedrich, and Leeann Busch, who she loved more than anything; her 12 grandchildren, Michael (Joanna) Muelken, Cory Muelken, Trisha (Robert) Malz, Tyler (Taylor) Pasvogel, Tanner Pasvogel, Sarah (Levi) Friedrich, Scott (Gabi) Friedrich, Derek (Kelly) Busch, Matt (Larissa) Busch, Zachary Busch, Ryan Busch, and Katelyn Busch; and her 14 great-grandchildren—Krystal, Faith, Khya, Maddie, Emma, Colt, Nellie, Saul, Yeri, Ella, Evelyn, Liam, Gabby, and Tatum—who brought her endless joy.

Kathy loved deeply, gave endlessly, and showed up for her family in every way. The memories she created and the love she gave will carry on through her family for generations.

A Graveside Service open to all will be held on Friday, May 8th, 2026, at 12:00 PM at Spring Lake Cemetery (16851 Lime Rd. SW, Prior Lake MN). A celebration of life will follow at The Point in Prior Lake, MN.