NORTHROP - Funeral services for Robert "Bob" A. Schmidtgal, 68, of Northrop, Minn., will be 11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 18, 2009, at Calvary Baptist Church in Granada. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Madelia.

Robert passed away of natural causes on Monday, Dec. 14, 2009, at his home in Northrop, Minn. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. on today, Dec. 17, 2009, at Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont, and one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.

Robert Alan Schmidtgal was born on May 8, 1941, in Drake, N.D., the son of Adolph "AJ" and Pauline (Dockter) Schmidtgal. He attended school in Drake, N.D., and Brown Institute in Minneapolis. He was united in marriage to JoAnn E. Moe on Oct. 10, 1961, in Iowa. After their marriage, they lived in Brandon, Miss., and then Jackson, Miss., where Bob was a service station manager and a city bus dispatcher. They moved to Fairmont in 1965 and then to Northrop in 1972. Bob worked at Arnold Motor Supply for 26 years and then Shopko. He also set up exercise machines in people's homes for orthopedic rehab for several years before working at Fairmont Foods, where he was currently employed. He formerly attended Fairmont Baptist Church, where he helped establish the AWANA program and then attended the Calvary Baptist Church in Granada. Bob loved working in his yard, garage and basement and making many laugh with his quick wit. He enjoyed collecting old tools, cars, toys, woodworking, and during his early years, fishing and hunting.

Those who will cherish his memory include: his wife, JoAnn Schmidtgal of Northrop; four children, Becky Ketchum (Brock) of La Crosse, Wis., Paula Belding (Shane) of International Falls, Minn., Aaron Schmidtgal (Mindy) of Fairmont, Laura Peterson (Andy) of Watertown, Wis.; grandchildren, Heidi, Tess, Spencer, Leah and Noah Ketchum, Heather, Shannon and Christy Belding, Tory Schmidtgal, and a Peterson baby on the way; sister, Betty Glaesemann (Buzz) of Elderlin, N.D.; brothers-in-law, James Brainerd of Glenwood, Minn., Lonnie Moe of Granada; sister-in-law, Lynda Grant (Charles) of Jeffers, Minn.; mother-in-law, Shirley Moe of Fairmont; many nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.

In addition to his parents, AJ and Pauline Schmidtgal and parents-in-law, Lawrence and Esther Moe, Bob was preceded in death by one infant son, Joel Robert Schmidtgal; sister, Edna Garrison; brothers, Earl and Ted Schmidtgal; brother-in-law, Stanley Moe; and sister-in-law, Gloria Brainerd.

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