Robert "Bob" J. Roys

Robert "Bob" J. Roys

St. Paul, Minn.

Robert ”Bob” J. Roys passed away on June 12, 2022. He was gifted with 64 years of life.

Kind. Faithful. Dependable. Dedicated.

From the Minnesota House of Representatives with the DFL (his last and most cherished job), from teaching industrial arts to middle schoolers in New Berlin, Wis., to IT for firms in Tennessee and Iowa, Bob was a patient, steady man with a humble heart, who could think outside the box to fix anything that needed mending. Although Bob was a quiet soul, his dry sense of humor never failed to bring a laugh. He found pleasure in reading, singing in church choir, traveling, hiking, photography, and keeping busy with a constant slew of projects around the house (his own and his kids’). He loved biking, on RAGBRAI or around town, a good dark beer at day's end and simply helping people.

Through 43 years of marriage, Bob and his wife Kathy called many places home — but mostly wherever his family was: Waverly, Iowa, Waukesha, Wis., Knoxville, Tenn., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Grinnell, Iowa, and St. Paul, Minn. Bob was the eldest of five children born to John and Sandra Roys: :Janet (Keith) Gillespie, Sierra Madre Calif.; Nancy (Peter) Cyr, Ames, Iowa, Peggy (Robin) Whiteplume, Lander, Wyo., and Julie (Ugo) Okoro, Brookfield Wis.

Bob was extremely proud to be father to Kristen Roys Salkas (Kevin Salkas) and Jason Roys (Kirsten Johnson), and “Papa” to two grandsons, Whitman and Remy Salkas.

Visitation will be 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. preceding the 11 a.m. service celebrating God’s gift of life for Bob on Saturday, July 23, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in North Liberty, Iowa. All in attendance are asked to mask. Charitable donations in Bob's memory can be directed to causes dear to Bob’s heart: Heifer International, Habitat for Humanity, or Lutheran World Hunger.