Robert Emery

Robert Arthur Emery, 89, of rural Erhard, MN, passed away on Saturday, December 27, 2025 at his current home at the Pelican Valley Senior

Living Care Center with

family at his side. Robert

Arthur was born on

September 28, 1936 to

Lawrence A. and Tillie M

(Stensrud) Emery at their

home in Friberg Township,

rural Erhard, MN. He was baptized and confirmed at

Tonseth Lutheran Church and served as the Cemetery Sexton

for numerous years. He attended school at Rugg School

District #187 in Edwards, MN, completing the 8th grade.

Robert served in the National Guard for 8 years alongside

his brother Ervin. On July 20th, 1963 Robert married Elsie

Eileen Thom at Central Lutheran Church near Pelican

Rapids, MN. They made their home on a piece of the Emery

family farm situated on their beloved Tonseth Lake in

Friberg Township, Erhard, MN where they raised their

family and remained together into their senior retirement

years. Robert was a hard-working person that provided for

his family both in childhood and his adult life. Working

alongside his father and brothers on their family farm they

were able to overcome many hardships. They also worked

both with and for many area farmers during harvest times.

He hauled milk for the Erhard Creamery and then retired

from working at the Fergus Falls State Hospital; first on the

hospital’s dairy farm, and then in housekeeping after they

closed the farming department. Robert’s personal passions,

beyond his loving family, were his sincere appreciation and

preservation of God’s beautiful world. He was able to see

beauty in everything - the clouds in the sky, the amazing

colors of sunsets, the wildflowers and butterflies. He also

loved watching and feeding the songbirds and deer. Critters

of all sizes were of interest to him in the habitat surrounding

his home and the ecosystem of the lakes and streams. He

knew facts about many ponds and lakes in the area. He

volunteered and participated in numerous programs

collecting and reporting data to various agencies to help

support conservation efforts throughout the area. Some of

the monitoring activities included: rain monitoring, lake

freezing & thawing reporting, and the Great Backyard Bird

Count. He also participated in the DNR Fish Restocking

Project in Tonseth Lake. One of his greatest achievements

was placing his portion of the Emery family farm into the

Minnesota Land Trust to forever preserve the land in its

natural state and to prevent further development so that

future generations could enjoy the peace, tranquility and love

of the land. He created a series of both driving and walking

trails, campsites, and access to both lakes within this piece of

property. He very much enjoyed taking family, friends and

neighbors back to this piece of land to share his passion. He

also enjoyed introducing many people to “Ruffy”; a ruffed

grouse that he befriended over a short period of years. Dad

would drive out to an area and wait quietly and within a few

minutes, Ruffy would join him. Robert was a kind, gentle

man that had a quiet way about him that people loved to be

with. He was born into a family that endured many difficult

times but were able to rise above their hardships by loving

each other and living life with great humor. He was always a

participant in the fun by usually following up his siblings’

joshing around with a good, solid, well executed “one liner”

Their family loved music and played in a band, often

holding family jam sessions and performing at local dance

halls. He had enjoyed fishing since childhood and eventually

enjoyed being more of a fishing guide to his family and

friends. To him it wasn’t about catching the fish himself; it

was about the enjoyment others were having on a boat ride or

seeking out just the right fishing spot. Robert was a loving

husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. His

pride in Pam and Arlinda was evident throughout their

childhood and adult lives; always marveled by and ready to

celebrate every milestone, even the smallest ones.

EVERYTHING had significance worth appreciating. He

also loved his grandchildren as every new child was a

miracle to him. He took great care and patience in the time

he spent with them. He couldn’t have been more proud of

each one of them. Then came his great-grands. He was

immensely honored with the arrival of every new addition,

reveling in awe of new life each time. Even though Robert

was not a boisterous person by nature, his FAITH in God was

GREAT. He trusted the Lord with his whole heart during

difficult times and praised and celebrated Him the rest of the

time. When he was faced with cancer his response was always,

“I give it to God and do whatever the doctors say.”

His girls and grandchildren learned how deep his trust in the

Lord was and know that witnessing his Faith was the greatest

lesson he could have ever taught us. Preceding him in death

was his loving wife, Elsie; his parents, Lawrence and Tillie;

his parents-in-law Edwin and Mary Thom; twin grandsons,

Andrew & Erik Colosky; and brother Ervin Emery. Robert is

survived by his two daughters, Pamela (David) Colosky and

Arlinda (Ted) Tollefson all of Pelican Rapids; Six

grandchildren, Chelsey (Austin) Aasness, Alyssa (Masson)

Price, Dillon Colosky, Brianna Colosky, Nathan (Brittany)

Tollefson and Derek (Tess Hubbard) Tollefson; six great-

grandchildren, Lindy, Maxwell and Bodie Aasness, Everhett

and Violette Price, and Elsie Tollefson; siblings, Gary

(Nancy) Emery and Sylvia Dutcher; Sister-in-law Linda

Emery; and numerous nieces and nephews. After living a

good life of 89 years, Robert was called home by his Lord

and Savior. His journey here on earth was filled with many

lessons and experiences. He was a humble, gentle soul that

will be greatly missed by those he touched and inspired,

while at the same time, celebrating a life well lived. Funeral

Service: 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 3, 2026 at Olson

Funeral and Cremation Chapel in Fergus Falls, with

visitation one-hour prior to the service. Clergy: Allen Westby

S.A.M.

Interment: Tonseth Cemetery, rural Erhard, MN

Arrangements provided by Olson Funeral Home in Fergus

Falls. Online condolences may be sent to

www.olsonfuneralhome.com