I took an organic chemistry course at the U of MN with Bob, I think in the fall of 1973. I heard that he passed away from cancer at a relatively young age. I recall sitting next to him one day in that course when we got an exam back. There were several hundred students in this class. I received a marginally passing grade on the test. Already in awe of Bob's abilities, I caught a glimpse of his graded exam. The prof wrote in the margin something to the effect that Bob had the highest score ever attained on one of his exams (notoriously difficult) and a request that he stop by his office because he wanted to meet someone that smart! In addition to his briliance, I recall Bob as a very gentle, good-humored soul as well. RIP, Bob.
Dr Robert Engebretson dies at 40 after 12-year battle with cancer
By Anne O'Connor Staff Writer
As a medical resident, Robert Engebretson discovered he had his own medical problem - cancer. Over the next 12 years, Engebretson would combat sickness in his patients while his internal fight against cancer raged.
His wife, Georgia, wondered if he would choose to go through all the Medical training over again or if he would spend more time for himself. "I asked him a while ago, 'Do you think it was worth it spending all this time going to school? " she said. "He felt that it was. He really enjoyed being a doctor, and he loved being on that personal level. He had no regrets."
Engebretson, 40, a doctor at the Columbia Park Medical Group in Brooklyn Park, died of cancer on Thursday at his Maple Grove home.
He graduated from Edina High School in 1972 and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota in 1976. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1980 and completed his residency at Hennepin County Medical Center. He was chief resident in internal medicine there for a year.
In 1984, he began working at Columbia Park Medical Group. He developed three different kinds of cancers beginning in 1982. And when his son Stephen was 4, doctors diagnosed the boy with brain cancer. For a time, Engebretson and his son did visualization exercises together, imagining the cancer cells being eaten by Pac-man. Engebretson had a bone-marrow transplant, and his son had surgery. But Stephen's cancer came back, and he died at age 6 in 1992,
Engebretson's cancer came back a little over a year ago, and he left his work. He had spent the last year traveling and being with his wife and son Enk. They went to Chicago, to Washington, D.C., and to the Grand Canyon. A couple of weeks ago they went out East, where he and his wife had honeymooned.
Besides his wife and son, Engebretson is survived by his parents, Arnold and Eleanor Engebretson, of Spooner, Wis., and sister Kristine Mosher, of Minnetonka.
Services will be held at 6 p.m. today at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 6900 W. Fish Lake Rd., in Maple Grove. Visitation will be held at 5 p.m. today at the church. Burial will be at 11 a.m Monday at Lakewood Cemetery. Memorials to the Robert E. Engebretson Memorial Fund are suggested. Arrangements are being handled by Evans-Nordby Funeral Home.
Star Tribune Oct 30, 1994
Thanks Kevin and Bruce for your memories of Bob. I wasn't lucky enough to know him as well as you. But, isn't life strange and wonderful that 50 years later, I can see his name and that he died - and, for some reason, click on his name to read more and then, after reading your thoughts, see his face in my mind's eye - and smile. He was one of those really nice guys that now I wished I'd gotten to know better.
I had some math classes with Bob in high school and spent some study hall time with him playing games. He was fun to be with. Outside of being one of the smartest guys in the room, he had a great sense of humor and was a very humble person. When they say only the good die young, Bob was an example of that, although it doesn't seem right.
It's hard to even add to the comments above, they are all so true. Bob was so easy to talk to. Ran into him once after HS and he told me about his cancer. He was so serene. One of the nicest people I have ever had the privilege to know.
Kevin D. Gustafson
I took an organic chemistry course at the U of MN with Bob, I think in the fall of 1973. I heard that he passed away from cancer at a relatively young age. I recall sitting next to him one day in that course when we got an exam back. There were several hundred students in this class. I received a marginally passing grade on the test. Already in awe of Bob's abilities, I caught a glimpse of his graded exam. The prof wrote in the margin something to the effect that Bob had the highest score ever attained on one of his exams (notoriously difficult) and a request that he stop by his office because he wanted to meet someone that smart! In addition to his briliance, I recall Bob as a very gentle, good-humored soul as well. RIP, Bob.
Bruce Miller
Dr Robert Engebretson dies at 40 after 12-year battle with cancer
By Anne O'Connor Staff Writer
As a medical resident, Robert Engebretson discovered he had his own medical problem - cancer. Over the next 12 years, Engebretson would combat sickness in his patients while his internal fight against cancer raged.
His wife, Georgia, wondered if he would choose to go through all the Medical training over again or if he would spend more time for himself. "I asked him a while ago, 'Do you think it was worth it spending all this time going to school? " she said. "He felt that it was. He really enjoyed being a doctor, and he loved being on that personal level. He had no regrets."
Engebretson, 40, a doctor at the Columbia Park Medical Group in Brooklyn Park, died of cancer on Thursday at his Maple Grove home.
He graduated from Edina High School in 1972 and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota in 1976. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1980 and completed his residency at Hennepin County Medical Center. He was chief resident in internal medicine there for a year.
In 1984, he began working at Columbia Park Medical Group. He developed three different kinds of cancers beginning in 1982. And when his son Stephen was 4, doctors diagnosed the boy with brain cancer. For a time, Engebretson and his son did visualization exercises together, imagining the cancer cells being eaten by Pac-man. Engebretson had a bone-marrow transplant, and his son had surgery. But Stephen's cancer came back, and he died at age 6 in 1992,
Engebretson's cancer came back a little over a year ago, and he left his work. He had spent the last year traveling and being with his wife and son Enk. They went to Chicago, to Washington, D.C., and to the Grand Canyon. A couple of weeks ago they went out East, where he and his wife had honeymooned.
Besides his wife and son, Engebretson is survived by his parents, Arnold and Eleanor Engebretson, of Spooner, Wis., and sister Kristine Mosher, of Minnetonka.
Services will be held at 6 p.m. today at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 6900 W. Fish Lake Rd., in Maple Grove. Visitation will be held at 5 p.m. today at the church. Burial will be at 11 a.m Monday at Lakewood Cemetery. Memorials to the Robert E. Engebretson Memorial Fund are suggested. Arrangements are being handled by Evans-Nordby Funeral Home.
Star Tribune Oct 30, 1994
Kurt Dahl
Thanks Kevin and Bruce for your memories of Bob. I wasn't lucky enough to know him as well as you. But, isn't life strange and wonderful that 50 years later, I can see his name and that he died - and, for some reason, click on his name to read more and then, after reading your thoughts, see his face in my mind's eye - and smile. He was one of those really nice guys that now I wished I'd gotten to know better.
Curtis Blandin
I had some math classes with Bob in high school and spent some study hall time with him playing games. He was fun to be with. Outside of being one of the smartest guys in the room, he had a great sense of humor and was a very humble person. When they say only the good die young, Bob was an example of that, although it doesn't seem right.
Patricia O'Brien
It's hard to even add to the comments above, they are all so true. Bob was so easy to talk to. Ran into him once after HS and he told me about his cancer. He was so serene. One of the nicest people I have ever had the privilege to know.