Robert “Bob” Zimny, age 86 of Isanti, MN (formerly of Wells, MN) died Thursday, September 24, 2026. A visitation will be Friday, October 2, 2026 from 10:00am-11:00am at St. Casimir Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian Burial will start at 11:00am Friday, October 2, 2026 at St. Casimir Catholic Church. Father Timothy Hall will be officiating, and burial will be in St. Casimir Catholic Cemetery.

Robert was born in Vivian Township to Edward and Marcella Zimny. He grew up on a farm, with 6 siblings, outside of Minnesota Lake. He  graduated from Loyola High School in Mankato where he worked building construction for a time. He married Barbara  in August of 1966 and the couple moved to Wells when Bob got a job working for MN DOT.

He worked for MN DOT for most of his working life where he did everything from operating a grader to a snowplow to doing road construction until he retired in 2003 at the age of 63. He then went to work for Hermann Manufacturing for a few years. He loved working for MN DOT and his Hermann Manufacturing family. He was a man of many interests and talents. He loved the weather, photography, fishing, camping, golfing, woodworking, farming, snowmobiling (where he and Barb would make annual trips up north to Grand Marais) and flying.

Bob took most annual mission trips with St. Casimir Catholic church, from as far back as 1997 to 2010, where he earned the nickname “Bob the Builder” from the students he went with because he could fix almost anything. He even had a side business doing upholstery work, reupholstering anything from boat seats to old car seats. He was so good at it that he even taught it to people as a community ed instructor for a couple of years.

He loved telling his dry, corny jokes. He always seemed to think he was the funniest person he knew. He would tell a joke, give that big smile and laugh. He always cracked himself up with his own jokes. He loved talking and telling stories. If you wanted to get him talking, just ask him about anything he was interested in – flying, farming, MN DOT, the weather, Etc. and he would go on and on.

Bob is survived by his daughter, Deb (Zimny) Spears and husband Mike of Apple Valley, MN and his three children – Tristan, Braydan and Ariella; his sisters: Rita (Zimny) Born and her husband Dave of Waseca, MN, Berny (Zimny) Wolff of Belle Plain, MN; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Sandy and Tom Sommerstad of Hastings, MN, Deloris and Leo Holicky of LeCenter, MN, Lori Zimny of Sparta, MO and many nieces and nephews and their families.

He is preceded in death by his wife Barbara; his parents; sisters: Therese, Joan and Kathy; brother Joe; brothers-in-law: Simon Haefner and Dick Wolfe; parents-in-law Clayton and Leona.