Obituary: Robert Rodger Gorsline
Robert Rodger Gorsline was born on December 5, 1934 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, WI to Rodger F. and Lucille M. (Wohlfert) Gorsline; he passed away on Tuesday, October 6, 2020. He spent the majority of his childhood on Wisconsin farms. He lived in Endeaver, Oxford, Arlington, Marshall, and Sun Prairie. He enjoyed the life of a farm boy detasseling corn, picking tobacco leaves, and working at the vegetable canning factory. Bob graduated from Sun Prairie High School in 1952. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior when he was 18 years old at the Madison Gospel Tabernacle.
Bob married June LaVonne Sigafus on Oct. 9, 1954. They moved to Waukegan, IL where Bob held various jobs including hotel manager and working at Goodyear. He served faithfully at Calvary Temple in Waukegan as church treasurer. While in Waukegan, Bob and June had two sons, Rodger and Robin.
In 1972 the family moved to Freeport, IL and purchased a milk hauling business. Bob worked seven days a week picking up milk from farms all over Stephenson and Jo Daviess counties and taking the milk to Muller Pinehurst in Rockford, IL. Rodger & Robin worked right alongside their dad hauling milk for many years. Bob was a very active member of Park Hills Evangelical Church in Freeport and even though he worked 7 days a week, he made sure the church lawn was always mowed.
After a long battle with cancer Bob’s wife June went home to be with the Lord in 1986. The Lord provided a second love of his life in Linda Cronk and they were married on March 7, 1987.
After 21 years of hauling milk, Bob retired and realized his dream of owning a gentleman’s farm, near Hillpoint, WI on a square 40 acre parcel. He had the distinction of becoming the first White Galloway breeder in the state of Wisconsin. Besides farming, he also worked at Lands’ End, retiring from there after 10 years of service. Bob and Lin have been faithful members of Walnut Hill Bible Church for more than 20 years. Bob served on the mission board and was a familiar smiling face as an usher alongside Lowell Wedekind at the church.
Bob loved his family and prayed diligently for each one of them. His two sons in Freeport, IL, Rodger and wife JoAnn, Robin and wife Karen, step-daughter Amy (Russ) Beaver of Hudson, WI, step sons Aaron Cronk, Jarod (Bethany) Cronk of Milwaukee, WI, ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Bob is also survived by one brother Merlin (Ginny) Gorsline and one sister Verna (Gary) Brevik.
He was preceded in death by his mother, father, son Rodney Gorsline, first wife June Gorsline, sisters Marilyn Borchert and Janet Brinkman, and one brother Don Gorsline.
Funeral Services took place on Monday, October 12, 2020 at 12, noon at Redlin Funeral Home with Pastor Dan Gunderson officiating. Visitation was held at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Interment services took place at Oakland Cemetery in Freeport, Illinois on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at 11:00 am with Mark Balmer officiating.
