Bob Facile

Robert (Bob) Facile, age 80, of Jasper, MN, and a long time resident of Holland, MN quietly died with his family by his side of pancreatic cancer, Tuesday, June 5, 2012 at Pipestone Hospice house in Pipestone, MN. Bob was a lifelong member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jasper.

Bob was born November 25, 1931 to Frank and Silvia (Serie) Facile at the family farm a few miles east of Ihlen, MN. He was the second of four boys. A few years later the family moved to the farm that became his home. Bob attended country school in Eden township until he began farming with his father, raising shorthorn cattle. Eventually he was able to pursue his love of cattle ranching especially training quarter and cutting horses. Bob was involved with 4-H at many times throughout his life. As a young man, he was a member of the Eden Jolly Juniors and as a teenager was a champion cattle showman at the Chicago National stock show.

On April 16, 1955, he was united in marriage with Viola Dahms at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Their union was blessed with six children and 57 years of marriage.

He was a member of the Prairie Riders Saddle Club and in later years he helped organize several horse 4-H clubs, including the Pipestone County Trail Blazers and later the Cloverleaf Corral. He was often sought for his advice as an expert horseman, trainer, trader, and layman veterinarian. He loved attending the monthly horse sales at Luverne, MN and Sioux Falls, SD. Bob served as the show judge at many local horse shows, especially the annual show in Flandreau, SD. In 1976 Bob was the lead outrider for the Bicentennial Wagon Train that traveled from the state capital grounds in St. Paul to Pipestone.

Bob was always an outstanding baseball and softball player as well as coach with many teams at many skill levels. If you were lucky enough to have played with him, or been coached by him, you know that he loved winning and was a good sport even when losing. When Bob was a boy, his dad told him that, “If he couldn’t stand losing sometimes, then he better not play.” Bob loved to play.

When Bob and Vi retired in 1997, they sold the ranch to the State of Minnesota that then annexed it to the Split Rock Creek State Park where Bob spent several years as a park ranger. Bob and Vi then moved to Holland, Minnesota where Bob enjoyed pinochle, visiting, and playing pool with the local sharks at the Senior Center.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Vi Facile of Holland, Minnesota; his six children, Timothy (Kim) Facile of Maplewood, Minnesota, Tarry (Barb) Facile of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Craig Facile of Pipestone, Minnesota, Curby (Michelle) Facile of Ivanhoe, Minnesota, Lorry (Jeff) Conrad of Ivanhoe, Minnesota, and Lynn (Steve Kuchta) Facile of Yankton, South Dakota; nine grandchildren, Jesse, Anthony, Danny, Elisa, Mary, Chelsea, Nicole, Emily and David; two brothers, Dale (Rosalie) Facile of Jasper, Minnesota, and David (Susan) Facile of San Antonio, Texas; and other family and friends.