—  Robert Jacob Denn, age 79, of Madelia died Wednesday March 13th, 2013, at Madelia Community Hospital after a twenty-year battle with multiple myeloma.

 A celebration of Robert's life will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday March 16th, 2013, at Faith Lutheran Church in Madelia with the Reverend Mary Dodgson officiating. Visitation is at the church on Friday March 15  from 3-8 p.m. and continuing one hour prior to services. Internment will be in the Vernon Center Cemetery. You may send the family condolences online at www.sturmfh.com. Sturm Funeral Home, Pilgrim Chapel of Madelia is handling the arrangements.

 Robert was born November 28, 1933, in Madelia to Jacob and Martha (Ganzel) Denn. He completed the first 8 grades at Oliver Country School just a mile and half from his home. He claimed to have graduated from there as the second smartest kid in his class. There were only two. He graduated from Garden City high School in 1951 and began a lifelong career farming, at first with his father and then with brothers and brothers-in-law and then as years passed successfully on his own. On June 10th, 1952, he married his high school sweetheart Esther Hintze. They made their home in the rural Garden City farmstead where he grew up and were blessed with two daughters Cinda and Dee, and a son Steven.  Esther died in 1987.

 On December 29th, 1988, Robert married the second love of his life Judith Hansen and continued farming until retiring in 1998 and then due to declining health moved with Judith to their home in Madelia in 2008.

 Even though Robert had an unboundless love for family, friends and farming, he also had a lifelong passion as an avid hunter and sportsman. Through the years he made many trips to northern Minnesota and Canada fishing for walleye and northerns and hunting moose, whitetail deer, and black bear. In later years he hunted grouse and wild turkey every year with his brother Richard. He also took many trips to Colorado and the Montana/Wyoming areas for elk and mule deer. He wintered in Arizona for many years and enjoyed hunting coyotes, quail, and even rattlesnakes. Robert also made three trips to Alaska to hunt caribou. With Robert's passing God's creatures here on earth are breathing a little easier, but the ones in Heaven are probably nervous.

 Robert's yard and flower gardening were a constant source of pride and joy to him. He loved country music and made 18 trips to Branson to see the music shows. He served on the Ceresco Township for 10 years. His greatest joy through the years was his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He loved holding babies whoever they belonged to. He often said he had accomplished everything he had ever wanted to do.

 He is survived by his loving wife Judy. His daughters Cinda (Brian) Wallace of Garden City, and Dee (Doug) Thomas of Henderson, his step-sons Gary (Karyn) Hansen of Steven's Point, WI, and Bruce (Jodi) Hansen of Clearwater; his grandchildren James (Holly) Wallace, Jared Wallace (special friend Robyn Swets), Brielle (Jim) Herbst, Hope Grover, Joshua (Shawna) Grover, Robert (Katlyn) Grover, Ashley Hansen, David Hansen, Zoey Hansen, and great grandchildren Renae, William, Derrek and Jacob Wallace, Peter Grover and Thomas Herbst. Sisters Bernice (Richard) Bailey, and Doris (Delphin) Kietzer, brother Richard (Barbara) Denn, sister-in-laws Sylvia Denn and Margaret (Dave) Hohenstein and numerous nieces and nephews. Robert will greatly missed by all his family and friends.

 He was preceded in death by his parents and in-laws, his first wife Esther, his son Steven in 1977, his brother Warren, and his sister and brother-in-law Marian and Darrel Van Sickle.