Robert
Robert C. Burggren
d. December 17, 2010
Robert (Bob) C. Burggren, 90, a resident of Red Wing, MN, died on Dec 17 after complications from a partial hip replacement. Farm boy, WW II vet, engineer par excellence, loving husband & father to four sons, small business executive, and Red Wing resident for the past 17 years, Bob is sorely missed by his family and friends.
Born February 20, 1920, in Cannon Falls, MN, son of Elmer and Ada (Erickson) Burggren, he grew up on the family farm and graduated from Cannon Falls High School in 1937. He attended Gustavus Adolphus College and later the University of Minnesota where he graduated in 1943 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He married Jean L. Johnson of Vasa, MN, daughter of C. Leonard and Viva Johnson, in 1943.
Commissioned a Navy Ensign in 1944, Bob was in the Atlantic and the Pacific during and following World War II. Shipboard tours were served onboard a destroyer, PT boats, and a minesweeper. Following the war, he and Jean moved to Milwaukee where he was employed by Bucyrus Erie for three years as an engineer designing heavy equipment.
Bob and Jean relocated to Richfield, MN, in 1950. Bob took a project engineering position at Honeywell Aerospace in Minneapolis. Moving to North Oaks, MN, in 1957, he was assigned successive positions of increasing responsibility at Honeywell involving the engineering of avionics systems. His career culminated when he and Jean were relocated to Germany and he was assigned as Manager, Aerospace & Defense Group Central Europe.
Making a career change, Bob was employed in 1972 by Space Center in St Paul. He eventually became President of Kolstad Company, a manufacturer of custom truck bodies. By 1990 he retired and he & Jean relocated to Red Wing in 1993. Jean preceded Bob in death in 2003. Eventually, he relocated to Deer Crest at Fairview.
Bob was well known through Red Wing Rotary. He was an excellent wood craftsman and consummate handyman. A good conversationalist with ready anecdotes, Bob was a kind person and steadfast member of the First Lutheran Church of Red Wing.
He is survived by his sister Margaret Corrigan of Sauk Centre, MN, and his four sons and families: Peter & Maria Burggren of Escondido, CA, Timothy & Nancy (Quirk) Burggren of Green Bay, WI, David & Jean Burggren of Dubuque, IA, and Jonathan & Connie Burggren of Green Bay, WI. Survivors include eight grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at First Lutheran Church of Red Wing at 11:30 AM on Saturday, January 8. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Lutheran Church of Red Wing, Gustavus Adolphus College, or Goodhue County Horticultural Society . Arrangements handled by Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel. www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com
Born February 20, 1920, in Cannon Falls, MN, son of Elmer and Ada (Erickson) Burggren, he grew up on the family farm and graduated from Cannon Falls High School in 1937. He attended Gustavus Adolphus College and later the University of Minnesota where he graduated in 1943 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He married Jean L. Johnson of Vasa, MN, daughter of C. Leonard and Viva Johnson, in 1943.
Commissioned a Navy Ensign in 1944, Bob was in the Atlantic and the Pacific during and following World War II. Shipboard tours were served onboard a destroyer, PT boats, and a minesweeper. Following the war, he and Jean moved to Milwaukee where he was employed by Bucyrus Erie for three years as an engineer designing heavy equipment.
Bob and Jean relocated to Richfield, MN, in 1950. Bob took a project engineering position at Honeywell Aerospace in Minneapolis. Moving to North Oaks, MN, in 1957, he was assigned successive positions of increasing responsibility at Honeywell involving the engineering of avionics systems. His career culminated when he and Jean were relocated to Germany and he was assigned as Manager, Aerospace & Defense Group Central Europe.
Making a career change, Bob was employed in 1972 by Space Center in St Paul. He eventually became President of Kolstad Company, a manufacturer of custom truck bodies. By 1990 he retired and he & Jean relocated to Red Wing in 1993. Jean preceded Bob in death in 2003. Eventually, he relocated to Deer Crest at Fairview.
Bob was well known through Red Wing Rotary. He was an excellent wood craftsman and consummate handyman. A good conversationalist with ready anecdotes, Bob was a kind person and steadfast member of the First Lutheran Church of Red Wing.
He is survived by his sister Margaret Corrigan of Sauk Centre, MN, and his four sons and families: Peter & Maria Burggren of Escondido, CA, Timothy & Nancy (Quirk) Burggren of Green Bay, WI, David & Jean Burggren of Dubuque, IA, and Jonathan & Connie Burggren of Green Bay, WI. Survivors include eight grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at First Lutheran Church of Red Wing at 11:30 AM on Saturday, January 8. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Lutheran Church of Red Wing, Gustavus Adolphus College, or Goodhue County Horticultural Society . Arrangements handled by Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel. www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com
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