Robert G Esbjornson

The Rev. Robert G. Esbjornson, 89, died on Oct. 27, 2007, at Benedictine Living Community, in St. Peter, MN. A memorial service will be held at First Lutheran Church in St. Peter on Nov. 1, 2007, at 11:00 a.m. Inurnment will occur at Resurrection Cemetery in the spring of 2008. St. Peter Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.

"Esbj," as he was affectionately known by Gustavus Adolphus College students, "Bob," to many family and friends, and "Papa Bob" to his granddaughters, was a long-time professor of religion and a beloved campus figure. Born in Duluth to Per and Victoria (Swenson) Esbjornson, he attended Duluth Community College and graduated from Gustavus in 1941. He married Ruth Bostrom in 1945 while furthering his theological education at Augustana Seminary in Rock Island, Illinois. In 1945, he was ordained into the Lutheran ministry on a call to develop a new congregation in Newington, CT. During his five years of parish ministry, he took graduate courses at Yale University Divinity School, receiving a Masters of Sacred Theology in 1954. His Master's thesis was later published as A Christian in Politics, a political biography of former Minnesota Governor Luther Youngdahl.

In 1950, Gustavus called Esbj to serve as a member of the Religion Department. His teaching focused on religion and its implications for social, environmental, and medical ethics. During the 1960s, he formed the Riverbend Association, a citizens' action and regional planning group, serving as president from 1967-74. After a sabbatical at St. John's University in Collegeville, MN, in 1973, Esbj, influenced by Benedictine meditative practices, began a deeper exploration of prayer and worship, which he turned into college courses and church adult forums. In 1979 he received the prestigious Edgar M. Carlson Award for Innovative Teaching. He was a long time member of First Lutheran Church and also served a Lutheran parish in Judson, MN, as part-time pastor for twelve years. Retiring from Gustavus in 1983, he continued teaching part-time, led retreats and church adult forums, and remained active in the campus and St. Peter communities.



Bob was also a prolific writer. Even with advancing age, he maintained his participation in "Night Writers," a community group committed to the writing life. As a memorial to his wife Ruth, he edited a collection of her writings, Morning and Evening. In his book, Final Time, he documented Ruth's final illness. The book reveals the depth of their relationship and the complexity of navigating an often depersonalized medical system, while lifting up the wonderful care of the people in the medical profession and the support of the church and college community.

Bob had a gift for touching the lives of nearly everyone he met. Not only was he a mentor to many students, he was also deeply beloved as a father, father-in-law, grandpa, brother, uncle, cousin, and dear friend.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his step-mother Anna (Dahlin) Esbjornson, his wife, Ruth, and his daughter, Louise. He is survived by his son Carl and wife, Rilla, of Bozeman, MT, and granddaughters Rachel and Rebekka, his brother John and wife Carol of Willmar, MN, and his nephew and nieces David, Mary, Karen, and Susan, and grand-nephew Aidan.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to the Christ Chapel Endowment Fund at Gustavus Adolphus College or to First Lutheran Church, St. Peter.