Robert Douglas Swenson age 52 passed away on December 26, 2014 at Shreveport, Louisiana.
Funeral Services will be on Saturday, January 3, 2015, 12:00 Noon at Holy Trinity United Methodist Church, Prior Lake, MN. There will be visitation at the church 10:30 AM until Noon.
Interment will be at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.
Funeral arrangements by Ballard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation, Prior Lake, MN
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Bob Wilson
Bobby:
I miss you terribly. A better friend I never had.
Chaplain (LTC) Steve George
Bob was a true gentleman and dedicated professional. I was honored to serve with Bob in Tuzla, Bosnia in support of Operation Joint Endeavor some years ago. His exceptional contributions to the mission went far above and beyond the call of duty. Not only did he accomplish every task set before him with total excellence but he reached out and made a huge difference in the lives of young people living at a local Bosnian orphanage during the deployment. Bob epitomized the very best in humanity and he will be sorely missed. May you rest well, brother, knowing that this world is a much better place for your having been here.
David Lilly
Chaplain George – I was privileged to serve alongside you and Bob at Eagle Base. I have been trying to reconnect with old friends and found this when I searched for Bob. Just broke my heart to hear he passed on – wish I had reached out to him before this happened. Bob was a good friend and a mentor to me – I learned a lot from him in our months together at Tuzla. He epitomized the meaning of service before self.
Wesley and Lynn Brown
We were so sorry to hear the terrible news. Bob was such a kind person. He spoke so fondly of his family. I hope sweet memories and faith in God’s promises will bring comfort during this sad time.
Kristi
Dear Gloria, Harley, Cindy, Butch, Rick and Buzz…
You know how I feel…may the love of others, friends and families bring comfort to you.
Carol and Dwight Hutto
We are holding you, the family and friends of our friend Bobby, in our hearts and remembering you, and him, in our prayers. May he Rest In Peace. He was a good man who simply wanted to live in peace. God bless his memory.
Brenda Ramsey
Swenson family so very sorry for your loss my prayer is that God will just wrap you in his arms and comfort you during this difficult time. Prayers for peace.
Rich and Joyce Klindt
Rest in peace my friend. A super nice guy who thought of others. Especially Henry Jorgenson. He will be missed from our church family and community. Thoughts and prayers to Gloria, Harley, and Claudia.
Linda Duncan
Dear Family of Bob. He was such a breath of fresh air for our community. He always had a smile and was a great asset to our Conference Center. He was loved by many.
You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
CH(LTC) Barry W Presley
Bob was my Chaplain Assistant in Wiesbaden, Germany and Bosnia. We had some great times together and he always went way beyond what the mission required. We kept in contact several times per year, discussed family issue,s and hopes and dreams. He was always a conduit for info on other chaplains we knew in our service time. This news was such a shock and his loss will be felt for a long time. Prayers for his kids and family. He would be proud to be in the National cemetery
Jaime Carcel Trullols
I got to know Bob and shared an apartment with him ten years ago, so I got to know him quite well. I can say he was one of the best persons I have ever met,
He was warm and gentle guy who was always prepared to help anyone in need. Always with good sense.
I a really happy to have met such a wonderful person in this world.
Wally and Mary Goetz
Gloria and Harley, we are so sorry to hear of the loss of your son, Robert . Our prayers are with you and the rest of your family.
Chaplain Jack Ryan
My words are not sufficient to express my shock and heartbreak I receiving this news. I suppose I was Bob’s “last” chaplain. We served together in the USAR, as well as at the VA Hospital in North Little Rock. I echo the sentiments expressed above about Bob’s character, loyalty, professionalism and so much more. I treasured far more his friendship. He brought so much joy to our work.
I will miss him, as will all who knew Bob. Had we just a chance to have one more chat. May God’s gentle care attend the Swenson Family. I am so terribly sorry.
Jack Ryan
Claudia Swenson
Words can not express how I feel about loosing my father, he was supposed to live a long time in my heart but it didn’t work out that way. I never lost anyone in my life time and never thought about how it would feel and how I would think about it afterwards. I keep thinking and thinking what if….but it’s to late…I have to trust god that he will take good care of my father and that he is in peace. It’s very hard because my dad had so much to offer to this world in a love able ways. He was my hero when I was a little girl and before he got taken from us he did teach me all the tools to make the best out of life in this world. No matter what kind of a relationship I had with my papa I always will love him no matter what.
David Lilly
Claudia – we have never met but I knew your father from our shared time in Bosnia and I counted him as one of my closest friends. I regret not having tried to reconnect with him after we both finished our military careers. Finding his obituary here was such a shock. I know this comes long after he passed and I don’t know if you still check in here but hopefully you do. I have some photos and other items relating to your father’s service in Bosnia that I would like to forward to you and your family. Feel free to reach out to me through my email (bigdogbart@suddenlink.net) and I will respond promptly.
Ch( LTC-Ret) Richard E. Stewart
Dear Swenson Family:
I had probably been retired from the United States Army Chaplaincy long before your husband and father came into the military, but what I have heard of him indicates that he made all of the chaplains and assistants with whom he worked better servants of our Lord and of the United States Army. You have my prayers and my thanks for his service. His impact will be felt for years to come. His impact in your lives will be felt for years beyond count. God bless you. And, Claudia, I know that the tools which your father taught you will serve you well for the rest of your life.
Ch Ken Kolenbrander
Bob Swenson was a true gift from God to our chaplaincy and he was a real son of encouragement to me personally in the Bosnian deployment in 96/97 era.
He loved Ch’s and soldiers much and may the Good Lord embrace him now and forever! Blessings and peace to his family during this tough time.
Mary Canino Pedersen
Dear Swenson Family,
I am so sorry to learn of the loss of Robert. I remember him as a high school student. My son and daughter-in-law (John Baird & Carol Garmroth) were in the same class as Robert. When I worked at the bank located in the old town center back in the 70s & early 80s, Robert use to come in and visit with me often. We had a great friendship and I always admired him as a young man. I knew he had a Military career as a Chaplain and I’m sure he did an excellent job, as stated above by those who served with him.
May God Bless you all during this difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Esther Schuessler Bitton
Dear Gloria Harley and the entire family,
Just today I have received the bad news about Bob, I can’t believe he is gone. It hurts so badly I can hardly think. We worked together at the Frankfurt Central Chapel, in Frankfurt Germany. We were such a good friends. Whenever he came to Germany to visit his children Martin and Claudia, he came to visit me and my husband Alfred. At some point we somehow lost contact, I didn’t have his new address. What a good person, what a good loving heart. He always gave his very best to the work at the Chapel, to the Chaplains, to the congregation members who adored him and to his friends. My English is to meager to express all what I want to say about Bob. My prayers are with you all dear Gloria and Harley, may God give you strength. we will miss him.
Esther and Alfred
Frankfurt, Germany
Pekka Tuominen
My condolences for Bob’s family !
So sad news. We served at the same time in Bosnia 1996, Bob served in US Army Old Ironside division and I in Finnish batallion. We became good friends there. After Bosnia, in 1997, Bob visited in Finland, he liked the sauna, and we had nice time here, too.
Yours truly.
Pekka Tuominen (Finnish IFOR batallion deacon)
Finland
Heike Haenel
Dear Swenson Family,
it was with the utmost shock that we just now learned about the recent death of Bobby, our mutual friend.
We got to know him when he was based in Wiesbaden, living in Ingelheim, and we are sharing the memories of a joyful time together with him, though things were not always easy in his life.
He was a man with a big heart, a caring, reliable and true friend, an inspiration for everyone who met him and he always had an open ear for everything.
Our hearts are torn apart, we miss him deeply!
Our thoughts are with his family.
Tim Kuhn, Hochheim
Sabine Placzek, Ingelheim
Heike Hänel, Mainz
Germany
Phil Pafford
I was Bob’s roommate at Harding for 4 years. I was just thinking about Bob and how he would push me to go jog 5 miles around the track at night and was thinking how long it was since I had spoken to him (years). I just wanted to catch up on life and see what he was up to… joke about old times… and just now found out the tragic news.
I’m sad, angry, and I guess still in a bit of dis-belief.
I keep checking to make sure this wasn’t a mistake… I don’t even have words right now.
Life is so short, I will miss Bob very much.
My prayers go to Bob’s family.