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Cornell University Iowa State University

Robert Sessions Obituary

Sessions, Robert "Bob"

MADISON - Robert "Bob" Sessions, age 73, of Madison passed away suddenly on Sept. 7, 2020. He was born in Mason City, Iowa, to Alice and Marcellus Sessions. He developed a strong sense of community as an Eagle Scout, and served in the Navy, stationed in the Philippines and Hawaii, where he discovered librarianship. He graduated from NIACC, Iowa State University and The University of Iowa. Bob was an Academic Librarian at Cornell University in Iowa and at Steenbock Library for The University of Wisconsin, Madison.

He loved making music, cycling, baking, wood-working, and writing letters and postcards. He made friends wherever he went and shared his enthusiasm and many interests freely. He was a proud, affectionate father and a fun and supportive spouse. He made everyone feel welcome and engaged by genuinely connecting with them and inviting them to share his curiosity and joy.

He is survived by his wife, Chris, daughters, Meredith and Jenny, grandchildren Ben and Bridget, sons-in-law Dennis and Mark, and many, many friends.

His family and friends will gather to celebrate his life when it is safe to do so.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Madison.com on Sep. 18, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Robert Sessions

18 Entries

Peter Williams

August 24, 2023

Was thinking of Bob Sessions today, as I do many days. Went sailing on Lake Wisconsin on a shake down cruise with Rolf Killingstad on his self made Norwegian skift. It reminded me of the time about five years ago when Bob and I helped Rolf take down his nast on his old sailboat. Bob would have enjoyed the sail today. I miss you Bob.

Mike Benner

September 16, 2021

Bob Sessions and I were best friends in the mid 50´s in Mason City, Iowa and had many adventures during those years. I can recall riding our bikes to East Park for the day, spending the night in our tree house, and jumping off the roof of our garage with towels tied around our necks ...till Bob broke his ankle. I got to sign his cast and thankfully that incident didn´t lessen our friendship. My family moved to Arizona in 1958 and we got to reconnect on a vacation in "62 and so enjoyed Bob´s humor and intelligence. We reconnected again after our retirements and conversed constantly for years. He had such enthusiasm for everything he did, dancing, skiing , biking, woodworking, writing post cards and letters, and travel. I was rewarded with some of Bob´s woodworking handiwork which is on display in my home and I´ve kept the many post cards he sent He was my oldest friend and I miss him greatly...He left a hole in my world.

Lester Dore

September 21, 2020

I was shocked when I heard about Bob's passing. I didn't know him well, but he did reach out to me several times in the 20 years I've lived in Crestwood, and I'm deeply sorry I never developed what I think now would have been a wonderful friendship. When I was interested in learning African drumming, he lent me a djembe, which I used for months until he needed again. When I lost one of my pocket knives the the woods, he found it and somehow deduced that it must belong to me and returned it. We talked a little about woodworking, a craft we both love, and he offered to run my antique wooden foreplane over his jointer to flatten the sole. So I am sorry I missed my opportunities to know him better, and I am reminded that, as I approach my inevitable end, to try to be as open and friendly and helpful as he has been.

Laurie Hartjes

September 21, 2020

Gone far too soon, but the world is better because he was in it. My deepest condolences to all of his loved ones.

Vicki Tobias

Planted Trees

Cynthia Albrecht

September 20, 2020

Chris, I am so sorry, I am sending my love to you, Jenny, Meredith, Mark, Dennis, Ben, and Bridget. Bob was such a wonderful presence in all of our lives and the world. He will be missed.

DEBORAH CARDINAL

Planted Trees

Susan Dentinger

Planted Trees

Janice Sheppard

September 18, 2020

I too felt great shock and grief to learn of Bob's death. He was one of the most vital and alive people I've encountered in my life and so his loss was so unexpected. We've know Bob, Chris, Meredith, and Jenny ever since coming to Madison in the 1970's. The whole Sessions family have been important neighbors and friends to me, my husband, and my son throughout the years. Having neighbors like them that could always be counted on to act with kindness and integrity is exceptional good fortune. It is indeed a blessing that we shared a bit in Bob's life, and I am grateful to have been among those lucky enough to have had him as a friend for many years. Our deep sympathy to all of the family. I'm uplifted to know that the wonderful gifts he gave us all will live on in each of you.

Petey Lawrence-Wehrle

September 18, 2020

I worked with Bob's daughter, Jenny at the Law School Library, and went to high school with Meredith. My condolences to the entire family

Janice Sheppard

Planted Trees

Barbara J Arnold

September 18, 2020

I am shocked and deeply saddened to know that Bob Sessions is not still with us. I worked at Steenbock Memorial Library back in the 1970's and then was the Student Services Coordinator for UW-Madison School of Library and Information Studies. I greatly admired his life view and his approach to librarianship. His contribution to the UW-Madison was profound. He will be missed and my heart goes out to his family who must start on their journey of grief. Know that he wouldn't want you to cry. He would want you to laugh and sing and remember the good times.

kathleen christian

September 18, 2020

Our very deepest condolences at the loss of your husband and father. It was a tremendous shock to Mike (Benner) after being notified of Bob's death. They were best friends in Iowa and had reconnected in the last several years. Mike loved texting with Bob, sharing old memories of when they were kids. He will most certainly be missed.

Louise Robbins

September 18, 2020

Bob was one of my first teachers when I joined the faculty at UW Madison SLIS. He took me and my students under his wing and taught us enough so that we could network our computer lab.
He was always unfailingly cheerful and warm. A kind, kind person.
I'm super sad that he is gone so young.

Beth Harper

September 18, 2020

My sympathies to you for your loss. I was lucky enough to work with Bob at the UW-Madison, and serve on a committee with him that developed our chat reference service. Bob played a huge role in developing that chat service, one that is crucial to the libraries and their users during the pandemic. Bob was a great colleague--supportive, interested, thoughtful. He was a great role model, in the way he worked, and in the way he lived his life. As I'm an alum of Cornell College, we shared that bond as well, though our times in Mount Vernon didn't overlap.

Bonnie Shucha

Planted Trees

Steven Baumgart

September 18, 2020

I am saddened to hear of Bob's passing. While I didn't know him well, all of the times we interacted while I studied and worked at UW-Madison were meaningful. When he talked, you listened because his words had positive impact. I still hear many of those words echoing in my mind as I go through my professional career. He is one of those persons you meet and who influence you forever. He will always be whispering in my ear. I am grateful to have known him.