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Robert Kirkwold 02/17/2022

Robert “Bob” Kirkwold, age 81, died on Thursday, February 17, 2022 at his home in New Richmond. He was born the son of Herb and Esther Kirkwold on June 26, 1940 in Saint Paul, MN. Bob grew up in Saint Paul, graduating from Murray High School, class of 1958. He worked at Burlington Northern Railroad for 38 years. Bob met and started dating Jean Wosika in 1957 and later married on July 1, 1961 at Westley Methodist Church in Saint Paul. Bob was an award-winning winemaker, avid gardener, and a member and president of the Saint Paul Clown Club. He was also a member of the Kent Washington Lions Club, Roberts Lions Club, and president of the Puget Sound Wine Club. Bob was an optimistic, loving, gentle soul who cared about everybody.
He is preceded in death by parents, Herb and Esther. Bob is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jean; daughters, Terri (Mark) Ulrich, Kim Kirkwold, and Julie Kirkwold; grandchildren, Jason Ulrich, Julie (Keith Hilgart) Holm, Brett (Jenny) Ulrich, Jessica Berhow (Mike Turner); great-grandchildren, Francess and Rowen Ulrich, Ben and Jacob Holm, Willow Ulrich, Cameron and Quentin Berhow; brother, Paul (Maryann) Kirkwold; and many other relatives and friends.
A Memorial Service was held on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 3:00PM at Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services (728 S Knowles Ave) in New Richmond with a visitation starting at 2:00PM. Arrangements are with Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services.

Click here to watch the recorded memorial service

4 Comments

  • Marlin Skipton Posted February 20, 2022 11:17 pm

    My condolences. Bob will not be forgotten. A great guy that I’m lucky to have known and worked with him.

    • Terri Ulrich. Bob’s daughter Posted February 26, 2022 1:22 pm

      Thank you Marlin. We appreciate your note. We all will miss him. But, happy he is in heaven. I know he’s there.

  • Chris Decker Posted February 24, 2022 10:08 pm

    I work with Bob at the interbay radio shop for many years and he was wonderful to work with he always loved to cobits.
    I loved working with him because he was fun to work with what more could you ask for. He love pulling pranks. And I loved pulling pranks on him too, it’s just a when I was pranking other people he couldn’t understand how I could lie with such a straight face cuz he would give it away when I was teasing people. Because he couldn’t hold a straight face when I was doing the teasing and would give it away. I kept in touch with him when he was retired and he moved back there to Wisconsin and we all missed him terribly because he was one of the best people on the railroad I ever worked with.
    Goodbye RWK those initials were used by the railroad on our reports he was referred to RWK, but Bob would never say what the W was I heard a rumor that it was Wilbur but I don’t know for sure.
    Goodbye Bob dear friend.

    • Terri Ulrich Posted February 26, 2022 1:46 pm

      Thank you for sharing your story. I didnt know my dad the way you did. But we both knew he was a good guy and appreciated his friends and family. He always told us when you called to visit. He really enjoyed your conversations. In his final few months he talked about all you guys at the railroad. I know who “the good guys” are.
      Just a fyi. RWK is Robert Wayne Kirkwold. I think would have preferred Wilber. LoL.

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