Obituary: Robert Charles Stierna

Robert Charles Stierna set sail from his earthly port of call surrounded by friends and family in the early hours of 2017.  Born in Wadena, Minnesota on May 2, 1946 to Arnos and Hilda Stierna, Robert was a 2nd-generation Finnish-American. Bob married Patsy Buell June 8, 1967 and they spent their honeymoon summer working at a fire watch station in Montana. With his love of nature, Bob graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1969 with a degree in Forestry. After forestry failed to pay the bills, Robert crafted a career in project management starting with Contel where he remained for 24 years; after which he became a project management consultant.  His passion, however, was sailing, safe boating through education, and being an active member and leader in the United States Power Squadron for over 30 years. His latest endeavor was to create a new national park in the Grand Traverse Islands.

Robert was preceded in death by his younger brother David, eldest Charles, and mother and father.  He is survived by his wife Patsy, children: John Stierna, his sister Amanda Hovis, husband Michael Hovis, and grandchildren Rai Ulysses and Macquarie.

For the last several years, Bob and Patsy have lived in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and started wintering in Austin, Texas after the birth of their first grandchild, Rai Ulysses in 2012.  Their community in Austin consists mainly of their great friends at the Camper Resort on Lake Travis.  Robert was greatly loved and enjoyed time with his friends playing poker as well as going out on the lake.  Bob spent his final weeks at the resort surrounded by family and friends with a beautiful view of Lake Travis.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the Friends of the Grand Traverse Islands to help Bob’s final wish to help create a national park:  http://www.grandtraverseislands.org/donate

A celebration of life will be held June 8th, 2017 in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, at Christ the King Episcopal church with a reception at Crossroads at Big Creek, on what would have been Bob and Patsy’s 50th wedding anniversary.