Robert "Bob" Bryan Gullickson
May 7, 1966 ~ January 30, 2013
Age 46 of Forest Lake, passed away on January 30th. Bob is survived by his parents, Jerry Pat; his brothers, Timothy and Stephen; nephew, Drake; grandmother, Margaret; aunts and uncles, Sandi and Chuck Walters, Joyce and Ed Gullickson, Linda and John Gullickson; and many cousins and friends. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Timothy and Ina LaVigne, Charles Dahler, Ole C. Gullickson; and his best friend, Randy Mc Aleese. A Celebration of Bobs Life will be 4 PM Sat February 23rd at Roberts Family Funeral Home, 555 SW Centennial Dr., Forest Lake, with a gathering beginning at 2 PM until time of service. Bob will always be remembered for his generous spirit and that he enjoyed life to the fullest. Even though he was in a wheelchair he never let it slow him down. He always drove the car of his dreams......Camaro, Iroc, Trans Am, and his beloved purple 29 Ford hot rod. He loved racing his Trans Am against Corvettes at the Brainerd racetrack. In 2001 he entered the National Veterans Wheelchair Games traveling to New York City and earning 2 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals. The next year he entered the games at Cleveland, Ohio. While he was there he went to a car race at the Elk Hart raceway and met a race car driver, Christiana Ramada from Italy. Bob was thrilled when Christiana gave him front row seating and invited him to hang out with the team and eat with his family. Recently Bob had found his artist soul in photography and had a showing of some of his photos at an art gallery in Minneapolis. He has two photos showing also at the VA Medical Center Art Show February 13, 14, and 15th in the Flag Atrium. There are a few of his photos in the photo section of this site, but many more will be displayed at his Celebration of Life. Bob helped plan his Celebration of life and didnt want anyone to be sad. In Bobs words, Why not be happy? Happy people live longer and theres nothing to be sad about. Many people are worse off than me.....BIG TIME! I get to open my eyes every morning and look at stuff, breathe and smell the flowers. And every day is just as good as the one before.
Bob was always a good friend it has been years since I’ve seen him I think of him and all the things we did growing up in Hugo often and it makes me smile good by old friend I will not forget what you
iTS BEEN A YEAR TODAY AND i MISS HIM ALMOST EVERYDAY. IT WAS A PLEASANT SURPRISE TO SEE A VIDEO TODAY THAT I HADN’T SEEN BEFORE. THANKS TO WHOM EVER PUT THAT UP. THE WINTER HAS BEEN BLUER WITHOUT YOU RICCO. i HAVEN’T BEEN BACK TO THE CITIES SINCE THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU…IM AFRAID TO COME HOME CUZ YOUR NOT THERE… I HEARD YOU EARLIER TODAY SAY” I DID NOT PUT MYSELF IN FRONT OF YOU TO MAKE YOU SAD OR WORRY ABOUT ME, I PUT MYSELF IN FRONT OF YOU SO THAT YOU WOULDNT WORRY ABOUT ME”. I ASKED YOU BEFORE YOU LEFT IF YOU WOULD LET ME KNOW IF YOU WERE OKAY ON THE OTHER SIDE AND YOU HAVE TODAY FINALLY. MY INFAMOUS ROCKET BOB MOMENT WAS WHEN WE WERE AT PLAYERS OVER THE FOURTH ONE YEAR AND I GOT KICKED OUT FOR DANCING WITH GIRLS AND YOU STAYED ON THE OTHERSIDE OF THE WALL SITTING NAKED IN YOUR CHAIR WITH A TOWEL OVER YOUR LAP. I DESPERATELY TRIED TO GET BACK IN AND GET YOU OUT, BUT TO NO AVAIL I DIDNT SUCCEED. I WAS SO WORRIED AND DIDNT WANT YOU TO BE EMBARASSED BECAUSE YOU HAD AN ACCIDENT. YOU ROLLED OUT LAUGHING WITH GIRLS IN TOW AS USUAL… I WAS CONFUSED FOR A MINUTE AND BEGGED TO KNOW HOW YOU HAD GOTTEN ALMOST COMPLETELY UNDRESSED AT THE BAR. YOU WERE STILL LAUGHING SO HARD THAT YOU HIT YOUR LEG AND DID IT AGAIN. NEEDLESS TO SAY THERE WAS A SPRING SHOOTING UP FROM YOU AND YOU SAID THATS WHAT HAPPENED. THE EVENING WENT WELL INTO THE MORNING WITH BREAKFAST SERVED TO US BY ANOTHER GOOD FRIEND THAT DROVE US HOME FROM THE BAR. HONESTLY, BOB AND I HAD SO MANY GOOD TIMES AND SOME SAD TOO THAT TO TELL OF ONLY ONE SEEMS A SHAME FOR THE NUMBER OF COUNTLESS MEMORIES WE ALL GOT TO SHARE WITH HIM. I DONT WANT TO WORSHIP HIM, CAUSE NONE OF US WERE PERFECT, BIT I THINK I TOOK IT FOR GRANTED THAT HE WOULD BE HERE FOR ALOT LONGER THAN HE WAS. I DONT REGRET A MINUTE OF MY TIMES WITH HIM AND I DIDNT FEEL LIKE I NEEDED TO MAKE UP OR ADD ANYTHING AT THE END. BUT I DO REGRET NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE HIM BEFORE HE PASSED. I TRIED I REALLY DID, BUT YOU LEFT SOONER THAN YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO. I HAD 2 FRIENDS ON MY SIDE WHEN YOU LEFT AND THEY BOTH CLAIMED TO TRY TO TAKE YOUR PLACE, BUT IN A YEAR NEITHER ONE OF THEM COULD MEASURE UP TO EVEN A QUARTER OF WHAT YOU ARE TO ME. I DIDNT KNOW THAT I HAD PUT YOU IN THE NUMBER ONE SLOT OF MY LIFE AND THAT I HAD SUCH A HUGE DEPENDANCE ON YOU LIKE AN ADDICTION. I HOPE THAT I WAS JUST AS TO YOU THAT AS YOU WERE TO ME. LOVE ANNA
USS Frederick LST 1184 I just got on the ship in Subic Bay and was assigned to the wardroom mess. Bob was kind and turned out to be a good friend. Thanks for being a friend when I needed one. I miss you Bob.
Please allow me to extend my deepest sympathy during this difficult time to your family. I know the pain of losing a someone close. The scriptures have really helped me and I wanted to share some with your family. Like, in knowing that Jehovah God loves us, he is near to those that are broken at heart and those that are crushed in spirit he saves – Psalms 34:18; Psalms 83:18. One day soon, “no resident will say: I am sick” – Isaiah 33:24. John 5:28,29 gives hope of a future resurrection and Revelation 21:3,4 speaks of a time when death, mourning, or pain will be no more. Jesus at John 11:11 said to his disciples, “Lazarus our friend has gone to rest, but I am journeying there to awaken him from sleep.” We can have faith in these promises. I had also personally wondered why God has temporarily allowed the suffering and death that surrounds us. I found the answers in the bible. It can bring much comfort to know the answers. If you don’t have a copy of the bible you can find an online bible and other comforting information at http://www.jw.org. Keeping you in my prayers. Shellye — Chefshellye@juno.com
I met Bob when I worked for his brother at The Polish Shop. I started visiting him at his home in Forest Lake. I will always cherish those visits. He was always welcoming. I haven’t been in contact in the last couple of years but he was always in my thoughts and now in my heart. I will forever love and miss you.
I had the distinct pleasure and honor of knowing Bob for many years at the VA. I was always impressed with his “can do” spirit. Although he will be missed, his positive attitude will live on as an inspiration to all of us here at the VA who were fortunate enough to know him, and will strengthen our resolve to continue to serve our nation’s heroes.
Bob had many telephone voice characters…….Bobby G the radio disc jockey calling to say I could win some wonderful prize if I could just answer the question. Of course he would make the question so hard no one could possibly get it right. Then there was the Frenchman Roberto wanting to whisk me off to some exotic land, the weird German, the gay Count Robert Dracula, the ghost of Bob The Crazy Rocket Man, or a sleazy salesman trying to sell me some useless gadget.
I’d be feeling down or just bored and the phone would ring and there would be Bob doing one of his personalities. I always joined in and played along and pretty soon I would forget about all my cares and worries and just be having fun with Bob on one of his adventures.
His Dad knew when I was on the phone for an hour and laughing that it was Bob. I will miss your phone calls, Bob.
Love Mom
Written By Bob Gullickson on 11/6/09 on Facebook.
Beauty may be faded, Brushed by the wind, the changes brought are felt by all, unwilling and un-wanting it’s gift, we scamper. We try to get a front, there is no out running, no escaping, no pushing back the winds of change. With them come understanding and mis-understanding along side. Accept the winds and breath them in. Let them push us towards life let our life begin! Let’s ride the wind !
Beautifully written, by a wise soul ! Thanks for sharing that Bob It really touched my life in many ways. you are missed !
I meet Bob when we where in elementary together. We had a continued friendship all the way to graduation. He always Had a smile on his face and a fresh look on life. We also shared memories at Young Life Camp along with Jane and other good friends. I remember we where so worried about Him while we where driving home from camp, because he hit his head on the sail boat when it tipped over. We prayed, laughed in between his sleeping. Joe had passed away while crossing the St. Croix River at the time that was Bob’s very good friend, we all got the phone call that Joe passed away. We where shocked. I remember attending Joe’s memorial service and the Young Life group was gathered around and we where laughing so hard we had tears in our eyes. Bob was sharing some fun memories of Joe and other memories. Then all at once we stopped laughing and started crying and I remember Bob saying…wait Joe would of wanted us to laugh, he is looking down on us right now and we are suppose to enjoy life. Bob thanks for all the face book laughter and phone laughter later in life. You area a special gift from God ! I was just fortune enough to walk in your path with you for a short time ! See you soon …
I didn’t know Bob until a few years ago. He was trying to raise money for his rocket wheelchair run. I volunteered to take some of his flyers and hand them out. when I went to pick them up we talked and talked, He did more sitting down than most people do standing up. He was such a cool guy!
RIP Bob
I had a dream the other night about me and Bob it was all about the first time he drove after the accident that put him in a chair . We were living together in an apartment I was I believe 16 he was 20 or 21 some nice people had dropped off somethings at our parents hardware store to help Bob . Things like dishes , bath towels stuff like that (we didnt have much money between the two of us) . We were going through the boxes of things and found something we had no idea what it was , turned out it was hand controls for a car so he could drive . Well we were able to scrap together like $700.00 over the next month . We went do to a little POS used car lot to try and get a car , turns out they had a 74 monte carlo he could afford . So we bought it and headed back to the apartment . Once there I set to trying to fgure out how to put the hand controls in … well got them in after a while .I remember putting Bob in his monte and jumping in the pass side .. well needless to say that first drive was about as scary as you get lol he had no idea how to use the hand controlls but I really didnt car … we were mobile . Ever since that day Bob always said No one knew he was in a chair when he was in his cars . Thats also one of the reasons he always drove sick mean cars and NEVER had handicaped plate on any of his cars …
Love u man
On behalf of the Forest Lake American Legion Post 225, we give thanks for Bob’s military service to our nation.
Many great memories but I Quess the one that sticks out the most was when Bob came over for one of my parties and I hade some of the original members of Austin Healy Jammin in the back yard and Bob had to water the weeds out back. So we went out to the back shed and took care of that, then I thought it would be fun to push him up the hill and do a little 4 wheeling on the way back. Well I was pushing pretty good when all of a sudden his front wheels dug into the ground and we both went face first into the hill with me landing on top of Bob! After rolling off of Bob I just kept saying how sorry I was. And not skipping a beat Bob just says, what do you think you can hurt me, Im already in a wheelchair! We just laid there and laughed a while then went back to the party. I miss you so much Bob. you were the best of the best! Please say hi to my Dad for me! I’ll catch up with you later.
one of my greatest time with Bob was when we had aparty for him to send him to the navy and when he came home we had some great time at his house in Forest Lake he was an amazing guy i will truely miss him
Met Bob while I was in high school cleaned his house and took him to the grocery store. ( he always drove) my friend Steph and I partied, laughed, cried and had a blast at his house on forest lake. He took me to get my first tattoo. (Not my last) and he was all around an awesome friend!
I went to school with Bob. Lost contact for a while. But met up again on FB. R.I.P God must of had a plan for you!
I did alot of Bob’s tattoos!
Even tattooed him at his house a couple of times!
You will be missed Sponge Bob!
Say “High” to the big man up there!
We mostly remember Bob before Jr. High School living in White Bear Lake and going with his dad and Sonny and the guys to the Boundary Waters. Bob always had a great outlook on life and was a happy person. Thanks for all the good memories Bob. You will be missed.
WHEN THE FIRST BIG SNOW FALL OF LAST WINTER CAME, BOB CALLED ME EARLY IN THE MORNING AND SAID HE WANTED TO GO TO DULUTH AND TAKE PICTURES, “I WILL DRIVE, I JUST GOT NEW TIRE” AND OFF WE WENT. ON OUR WAY ALL THE SOUTH BOUND TRAFFIC WAS BUMPER TO BUMPER AND CARS IN THE DITCH EVERYWHERE, BUT WE KEPT GOING. THANKS BOB THAT WAS PROBLY THE FUNNEST PHOTO TRIP I HAVE EVER HAD TO DATE.
I met Bob in Jr.high it was like finding a lost brother! I have so many memories of growning up with him and was fortunate enough to stay in contact thru all these years. I will miss your smlie and caring personality…… till we meet again my friend !
I met Bob in jr. high and we fast became buddies, although we went seperate ways after high school, we were reunited by facebook a couple of years ago. I have never met a person with such a good outlook on life, I will miss you old friend.
Bob and I grew up together and my fondest memory of Bob is when we went to Young Life camp in 10th grade. We all promised each other that even in death we would contact each other and tell each other what it was like after death. I’ll miss your compassion Bob, love you!!!
Bob was like an uncle to me…..I miss him.
The most caring and compassionate man I ever met and He will surely be missed.