Robert "Bob" Linus Haarman Obit

ROBERT "BOB" LINUS HAARMAN,  83, of Emily,  died May 28, 2022, at his home with family at his side after a short, sharp battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
During a lifetime of public service to towns and cities across greater Minnesota, he had a transformative impact on the communities he served.  The hallmark of his work was the efficient use of the public dollar.
He was born in Cincinnati, OH on June 18, 1938, the son of Robert Linus Haarman Sr. and Mary Veronica (Bohen) Haarman.  He graduated from Resurrection High School in Lansing, MI in 1956 and attended Michigan State University for a year before relocating with his family to St. Paul following the death of his father.  He then enrolled at the University of Minnesota with Forestry as his major.
He received a military draft notice in 1961, initially enrolled in the Marine Corps flight training program and completed his service in Marine Aviation Operations attached to VMF-312 Fighter Squadron based at El Toro Marine Air Station near Irvine, CA.
He met his wife Janet Mae Peterson of Hutchinson at the 1961 Pasadena Rose Bowl between the Minnesota Gophers and the Washington Huskies.  After marrying in 1962 in Fullerton, CA they returned to Minnesota following his discharge.  He returned to the University of Minnesota and completed his studies in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, with a Public Administration focus and an Economics minor.  He did post-graduate work in Public Finance at St Cloud State University.
He served as an Administrative Analyst at Minnesota Department of Transportation; assistant City Manager in Brooklyn Center; City Manager of Ishperming, MI, Worthington, Waseca, Sauk Rapids, Sartell and Waite Park. He was Executive Director of the Sauk Rapids Housing and Redevelopment Authority.
He was a Life Member of the International City/County Management Association and served as President of the Minnesota City/County Management Association; was a member and served as Chair of Tri-Cap (Community Action Program) for the St Cloud area;  was a member of Great River Rotary Club and served as its President; as Treasurer of Benton County Historical Society  a member of the Executive Board of the Benton County Overall Economic Development and Planning Committe and as President of Emily Lakes and River Association at Emily and organizational leader and past member of Lion’s club and Kiwanis club.   
He was preceded in death by his father, mother and younger brother Timothy John of Palm Springs, CA.
Bob is survived by Janet, his wife of 59 years, sons Michael Robert of St. Paul, Robert Peter and Jeanne Bain of Minneapolis, daughter Patricia Lynn Haarman and Paul Deuth of Stacy, his sister and brother-in-law Sue and Tom Sindelar of Sun Lakes, AZ, brother Mark, of Ely and five grandchildren.    
A Celebration of Life has been held.  
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to either Tri-CAP in Waite Park or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Minnesota.