Robert "Bob" E. Friend

Age 84, of Charles City, Iowa and formerly of Forest Lake, died unexpectedly on June 11, 2023 at Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City. Bob was born on August 23, 1938 to Homer W. & Martha M. (Tobsing) Friend. He graduated from Mason City High School and attended College at Mason City Jr. College. He was a member of the US Army Reserves before enlisting in the US Navy. Bob had military assignments at Great Lakes Naval Station, Memphis, Tennessee, Alameda, California, Midway Island, Hawaii & Whidbey Island, Washington as an aviation electronics technician. Bob worked for AT&T Long Lines in Mason City, Iowa then worked at several locations in the Midwest and retired as a Customer Service Manager in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He married Beverly A. Grimm on Nov. 30, 1962 and they had two children: James E. Friend (Kari) of Wyoming, Minnesota and Angela S. Marketon (Greg) of Rochester, Minnesota. Bob served on Church Council & several committees at Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake, Minnesota and at Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charles City. He was a past Boy Scout Leader and Little League football coach. Bob had many hobbies from woodworking, gardening, stamp collecting and a love for fishing. He was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law, James T. Grimm & mother-in-law, Annabelle H. Grimm. Living family members include his wife Beverly of 60 years; son, James (Kari); daughter, Angela (Greg) Marketon; and granddaughter, Isabel A. Marketon; brother, Gary W. Friend of Lawson, Missouri; and sister, Dorothy (Ike) Duckert of Mason City, Iowa. Bob was a member of Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church and Elks Lodge 418 in Charles City. He elected to be cremated and encrypted in the Memorial Prayer Garden Columbarium at Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake, Minnesota with a private family service. Memorials may be sent to Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charles City, Iowa or Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake, Minnesota.