Robert “Bob” James Stencel, age 84 years of Minnesota Lake, MN died on Sunday, December 15th, 2024 at Mayo Clinic Hospital, St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester, MN after a short illness. A visitation will be held Thursday, December 19th at Nasinec Funeral Home in Wells, MN from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm and one hour prior (9:30 am-10:30 am) to the service at the church. The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 am on Friday, December 20th, 2024 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (100 Park Street North, Minnesota Lake, MN) with Father Pratap Reddy Salibindla officiating. Interment in St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery, Minnesota Lake, MN.
Bob was born March 28th, 1940 in Mankato, MN to James and Agnes (Hawker) Stencel. Bob graduated from Alden High School in the class of 1958. He then attended and played football at Mankato State University. At the same time started his career working with his dad shelling corn. Coming home after college he married Reta Hemmingsen on February 14th, 1959, at St. Theodore Catholic Church in Albert Lea, MN and then moved to Minnesota Lake. He started hauling livestock for Hormel and area farmers. After purchasing the trucking business from his dad in 1975 he owned and operated Stencel Trucking for 46 years. During his trucking career Bob was a member of the Minnesota Permit Truckers Association.
Bob’s love of sports spans over many years. As a young 8th grader he played with the town baseball team and as a high schooler played football, basketball and baseball. He loved watching all sports but especially watching and going to his children’s and grandchildren’s team events. He was so proud to be an Alden Blackhawk and proud of his kid’s and grandkid’s Minnesota Lake Lakers and Maple River Eagles.
Bob and Reta spent many winters in South Texas where they met many lifelong friends. Since retirement in 2021 you could find Bob every morning with a cup of coffee and a roll in good conversations with his good friends at the Legion. Then on the sunny afternoons mowing lawns. When mowing was over you could find him busy putting puzzles together. When he accomplished the puzzle, he was quick to autograph the box and number it. As of December 13th, he was on number 543! Bob was also a proud member of the Minnesota Lake Fire Department for 25 years and a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Minnesota Lake.
He is survived by daughter: Rhonda (Robert) Drager, sons: Ronald (Kasey Stenzel) Stencel, Robert Stencel Jr. all of Minnesota Lake. 9 grandchildren: Mitchell (Laura) Drager, Dustin (Devin) Drager, Logan (Kimberly) Drager, and Jordan (Lindsay) Drager of Minnesota Lake; Adam (Amanda) Stencel of Minnesota Lake, BreAnne (Nate) Scheid of Easton, Mandi Stencel of Glencoe, MN; Ava Stencel and Delaney Stencel of Minnesota Lake; 15 great grandchildren and 2 on the way. Sisters Kay (Luverne) Rasmussen of Albert Lea, Barb (George) Sonnek of Minnesota Lake. Several nieces and nephews along with their families and many special cousins and friends.
Preceded in death by his wife Reta Stencel, parents Jim and Agnes Stencel, in-laws Raymond and Bernice Hemmingsen and brother-in-law Dale (Deloris) Hemmingsen.
Dad resonated the words “Faith, Family and Friends”.
Rest In Peace.
Deepest sympathy for the family.
So sorry for the family’s loss. Hugs to you all! Bob you will be missed, you were such a wonderful person. I am forever grateful for how good you were to my dad all those years that he worked for you, I know he loved his job & loved your family!
Sending hugs with my sympathies. 🦋
So sad to hear of his passing. I always enjoyed his strong hugs!
Sorry for your loss.
• Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. We are sorry for your loss
Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. We are sorry for your loss.
Please know our loving thoughts embrace you.
So sorry for your loss. My condolences to you all
So sorry for your loss you all are in my prayers May peace be with you
Bob was one person I could call anytime
and have a good discussion…… even though I am a couple years older.
He was a great athlete (not a good athlete… a great one).
He was my catcher for three years, ( if you tried to score standing up, you were in trouble. Great toughness
in football (all-state) , and great awareness on the basketball court. We had several good discussions.
What an amazing man and what a remarkable life. I feel so lucky that I got to know him over the last 9 months through Janice!
What an amazing man and what a remarkable life. I feel so lucky that I got to know him the last 9 moths through Janice! He will be missed by our family!
May God bless, he will be missed
My sympathy to your family. Loved my time at your parents house growing up by Alden.
My sympathy Dusty ,Devin and family on the loss of your loved one . Cherish the great memories .
So sorry for your loss! Sending prayers for peace and comfort during the days and weeks ahead! Share the stories and treasure the memories! 🙏🏼❤️
It is really hard to look at Bob’s picture above, and know I’ll never hear his cheerful greeting again! Harder still it must be for the family he loved so dearly! There are some people just so special that words fail us. Goodbye my friend…love to your family ❤️
Prayers and my sympathy to all the family. I met your parents in Texas. The best one was at the Ice House and he was trying to do a line dance while sitting on a chair!!! In no time he was sweating a lot. What a fun couple. I know he’ll be missed.
Grief only exists where love lived first! We met Bob & Reta in Texas and became instant friends. Special sweet couple and now they are together again. Our deepest condolences to the family. Hugs and prayers.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. We are sorry for your loss.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time. We are sorry for your loss.
As I look at Bob’s photo I can almost hear him saying, “How you doing girl?” as he put an arm around me. I loved him like second dad and will miss his smile & good humor. What a blessing Bob & Reta were to their family and friends! Rest in peace dear friend!
So sad to hear of his passing. I always enjoyed seeing your parents and his firm hugs!
Bob was a wonderful boss and friend. I loved him. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Hello Rhonda, Ronnie, Robbie, Sorry to hear about your Dad, I enjoyed many good times with Bob and your Family. He will be missed by all. Love ya all.
So sorry for your loss and friendship over all the years had. Many conversations the Alden legion with You and Reta So long Friends R eta also!!
My sympathies to the family. I only met Bob a couple times but talked with him on the phone a hundred times. I found loads for many of his trucks over the years and I could tell he was a special person. I never knew his past until I read this obituary. Wonderful. It does not surprise me that he led such a life. Rest in peace Bob.
Our sincere condolences to the Stencil Family from Ontario Canada.
We had many good memories in Mission Texas.
Last year we were lucky to visit Minnesota Lake to enjoy dinner with Bob and friends at the Orange Door.
We were happy to receive a Special “Seasons Greeting” call from Bob last week and to have the best visit with him.
Bob and Rita will always be remembered to us.
God Bless 💕
Dale and Pat
R.I.P. Bob thanks for the experience. I wrote to Bob back a year or so ago after seeing him with his son and family. He wrote back. The letter back was of a respectful man. That was truly the good person Bob was.
I drove truck for Bob around 20 years ago. He was a good guy to work for for. He treated me fair and square. I always enjoyed talking to him. Even after I quit (for health reasons) I’d stop and visit with him when I was passing through. I’m sorry for the families loss. He was a good man.
My deepest condolences to the family. Bob will be missed, Forever will be grateful for your friendship. Now you join your lively wife Reta in heaven. Prayers for the family.
We were so sorry to hear of Bob’s death. Bob was a groomsman in our wedding and we saw a lot of him and Reta when we lived in southern Minnesota. We had so many laughs together!
Phil lost most of his memory, short- and long-term when he had a bad stroke last year. But when I asked him if he remembered Cousin Bob, he mentioned that he was a great athlete and that they played together when they were kids. Amazing—there is so little he remembers!
Our condolences to all.
Bob was a great guy—our condolences to all.