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Robert Randall Obituary
Randall was born in Little Falls, Minnesota on August 31, 1940. He attended St. John's Preparatory School and St. John's University in Collegeville, eventually receiving his undergraduate degree from Gonzaga University in 1962. While in college, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he earned the rank of Second Lieutenant. In 1967, he graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School and moved to Hibbing, Minnesota with his family where he practiced criminal defense law in private practice and as a public defender for 17 years. During his time as a public defender, he connected with Native Americans across the Iron Range and defended them against the power of the state.
Judge Randall was appointed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals by Governor Rudy Perpich on April 1, 1984. He was one of the original twelve judges appointed to the court where he served full-time until 2008, and nine years as a retired judge. Randall's tenure included working to protect the rights of criminal defendants and authoring two of the longest opinions in the history of the Court of Appeals. Randall's passion was protecting the underserved across the state of Minnesota.
Over the years, he attended sweat lodges, learned, and respected the Native American culture. He also worked together with Catholic Charities' Dorothy Day Center by founding a Memorial Day cookout that has been the Minnesota judicial branch's annual tradition for the last 21 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, R.A. "Tony" Randall Sr. and Marie Schmid Randall; stepmother, Luverne "Mickey" (Powers) Randall of Little Falls; and his wife, Monica (Eichten) Randall of Lindstrom.
"The Judge," as he was known to many, will be deeply missed by his sisters Gertrude "Googs" (Pat), Nora, and Mary Frances; his children Tony (Jessica), James, and Kathleen; along with his grandchildren Nicholas (Savannah), Gabrielle, Amelia, Monique, and Vida.
A visitation will take place at the Grandstrand Funeral Home in Lindstrom, Minnesota on Friday, August 23 from 4-8 pm. Mass of Christian burial will be at the Church of St. Joseph in Taylors Falls, Minnesota on Saturday, August 24 at 11:00 am with visitation one hour prior. Interment at Kahbakong Cemetery in Taylors Falls.
In lieu of gifts, the family requests donations to Catholic Charities - Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, a charity near and dear to Jim.
Arrangements are with the Grandstrand Funeral Home in Lindstrom. Condolences may be expressed online at www.grandstrandfh.com.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Robert Randall
Sponsored by Grandstrand Funeral Home & Cremation Service - Lindstrom.
4 Entries
Larry Stoffel
August 22, 2024
Jim, not an enegma everything said in his obituary is exact, correct and an hohorable tribute to his carrieer and accomplishments for sure. What is not there is the Jim that some of us were privlidged to know. Seems everyone has bits and pieces of experiences with him. For me and my family he has been an unbrella of support, wisdom and friendship always being avialable,
never to busy to be there when asked.
Some 25 or so years ago while being with him he recevied a call & we had to find a western union service & he sent out $150.00 to some bus terminal then asked me to find him a 2 or 3 hundered car which he gave to the caller. He told me it was for someone just out of prison with no funds and no way to get anywhere, I asked if it was someone he defended and he said no I don't know him. Time moves on, last year 2023 I was on a lake trying catching up with some walleyes & my cell rang it was Jim asking me to take $300.00 and go to the Virginia jail and pay the bail for someone that needed help and he couldn't get there. I did & Jim sent me a check with an extra $30.00 for my gas. Both of us knowing that he'd never see the 300.00 again. This is after his attorney years, after some 35 years of judgeship, this is the Jim Randall we know. Not someone in the legal world for money or glory but someone using his talents to help others.
May Heaven welcome this Honorable Man as our loss will be there welcoming us with that knowing smile.
Larry Stoffel
Mary "Jo" Schaefers
August 17, 2024
Sad to read this. I knew Jim (Bob) at Copper Valley
School in Glenallen, Alaska in 1959-60 when he served as a volunteer worker there that year. He was younger than most of us so I didn't know him well but remember his joining the teachers on some outings as well as meals in our staff dining room there. Copper Valley was an Alaska Native boarding school operated by the Jesuit fathers and the Sisters of St. Anne for mainly years. There were also many of us lay volunteers who lived and worked there. Jim loved to dance and I remember as he often reminded me of all the fun we had when we escaped to the Copper Center Bar in groups when work was done. Jim often worked nights and kept us warm by tending our massive furnace system when we were all sleeping. To my surprise and when I was recovering from a heart valve replacement in 2019 (then we had both lost our spouses), he contacted me and for almost four years we were in correspondence. I appreciate his unending encouragement and am so glad to have had the opportunity to reconnect with a friend going back so many years. Me being three years his senior no longer mattered whereas at CVS I thought he was mainly the 19 year old kid who worked in the boiler room, while I was this grown up teacher of 22. Ha. My sympathy to all those family members he loved so very much. You are in my prayers during this time of loss. Jo
Jacquie Fortier Doty
August 17, 2024
Fare thee well old friend, finest of men, and guardian of those in need, as you embark on that final journey into that which we call eternity. God bless for a life well lived and a job well done.
Allan Brill
August 14, 2024
I'm deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our friend Jim. Our friendship stretched decades as a customer at my store Zimmermans Dry Goods. His generosity was highlighted through his donations of clothing to local reservations, and in his later years ordering "Food not War" shirts for residents of Ukraine. He will be truly missed.
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