Robert Schlegel

Robert Schlegel, age 66, of rural Harding, MN, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Monday, March 26, 2012. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, March 29, 2012 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Harding, MN with Fr. David Maciej officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at Emblom-Brenny Funeral Service in Pierz, MN, with Parish Prayers at 5:30 p.m. followed by Knights of Columbus Office of the Dead Hillman, MN and Onamia, MN Council at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church on Thursday one hour prior to the service. Robert "Bud" "Bobby" Damian Schlegel was born on December 31, 1945 in Little Falls, Minnesota to the late Albert & Dorothy (Tretter) Schlegel. He was united in marriage to Helen Miers on October 17, 1964 at Holy Family Catholic Church, Bull Dog Lake. In 1964, Robert purchased the farm from his father and over the years expanded it to a 220 cow dairy. This past year, he and his family harvested over 1000 acres of corn, hay and oats. Every spring he planted his crops and said he had done his best and the rest was up to God. Diagnosed with cardio myopathy in 2003, he was forced to slow down physically. Yet with his helpers, mostly family, he was able to continue and build his "dream farm". In his hay day, he could fix anything, overhaul anything, build anything and celebrate to the point of exhaustion. His hog roasts were always top notch. Robert enjoyed fishing, deer hunting, his restored 1955 pickup truck, and spending time with his family and grandchildren camping at Grandpa's Campground. He was a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Harding and the Knights of Columbus Hillman-Onamia Council. Robert's first love was his wife and children. He cherished each one of them. His illness allowed him to spend time with his grandchildren, building strong relationships with each of them. Each one was very special to him. He even offered to pay for diapers for his 30th grandchild if his children would keep having them...and he paid up on the offer. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Helen of Harding, MN; sons, Damian (Amanda) Schlegel of Hillman, Nick (Sara) Schlegel of Harding, Robert (Jill) Schlegel, Jr. of Harding, Louie (Cassie) Schlegel of Harding and Joe (Lori) Schlegel of Harding; daughters, Jackie (Gary) Hoffman of Hillman, Jill Eich of Harding, Beth (Kevin) Kunstleben of Harding, Kelly (Brad) Medek of Pierz and Kay (Vince) Skiba of Harding; 32 grandchildren; one granddaughter-in-law; brothers, Christy (Grace) Schlegel of Minneapolis, Walter (Irene) Schlegel of Brainerd, Kenny (Sharon) Schlegel of Brainerd and Ray (Diane) Schlegel of Chisago; sisters, Ginny (Ben) Gross of Hillman, Lorraine (Adam) Virnig of Hillman, Kathy Bednarek of Hillman and brother-in-law Jerome Miers of Illinois. Robert was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Mary Ann Virnig and Patricia Miers and brothers-in-law, Andrew Virnig, Sr. and Lyle Bednarek. Honorary pallbearers will be Kevin Kunstleben, Brad Medek, Vince Skiba and Gary Hoffman. Casketbearers will be Damian Schlegel, Nick Schlegel, Robert Schlegel, Jr., Louie Schlegel, Joe Schlegel and Jeremy Scheeler.