Robert H. Duesenberg

1930 - 2024

Duesenberg, Robert H.

was born December 10, 1930, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Hugo and Edna (Warmann) Duesenberg. His father died in 1941 and his mother died in 1981. All his brothers and sisters are deceased, Carl (Mildred) Duesenberg, Elvera (Joseph)

Gerber, Bernice (Carl) Mayer and Richard (Phyllis) Duesenberg, a twin brother and former vice president and general counsel of Monsanto.

On August 4, 1963, Robert was married to Ms. Lori Hall of North Dakota. Lori was, then, a registered nurse practicing in St. Louis. Lori passed away in 2012 from a glioblastoma. Robert and Lori were blessed with Lynda (Karl) Koeppen, Kirsten (William) Hazlett and John Duesenberg, all of whom are living and reside in different states; four grandchildren, Christiaan (Minda) Hazlett, twins Tristan (Abigail) Hazlett and lan Hazlett and Elle Hazlett, and one great-grandchild, Joel, a son of Christiaan and Minda. Lori and Robert reared their family in St. Louis, but later and into retirement resided in Northern Virginia for sixteen years.

Robert retired in 1993 as Vice President and General Counsel of General Dynamics Corporation. His education and legal studies were at Valparaiso University and Valparaiso University Law School and, after two years in military service, at Harvard Law School where he was awarded the Master-in-Law degree in 1956. In 2001, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Valparaiso University. He served on the board of directors of Valparaiso University in his retirement years. In 2000, he was awarded the Officer's Cross for the Order of Merit by the government of Germany at Valparaiso University for work done in international relations.

Prior to joining General Dynamics Corporation, Robert served as Vice President and General Counsel of Pet Incorporated in St. Louis. During his years of service at Pet Incorporated he was appointed to the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education on which he served and chaired until 1983.

Robert was a member of the national industry general counsel group and an active member of the defense industry general counsel association.

His wife, Lori, was an encouraging partner to Robert in the years he served as chair of a capital fund raising campaign for Valparaiso University in the 1990s, and, after retirement from General Dynamics, in instituting programs from Colonial Williamsburg to the Lutheran elementary and high school educational systems in St. Louis.

Education and cultural affairs remained an interest through many years of service. At the conclusion of his tenure with General Dynamics, for sixteen years Robert and his wife lived in Northern Virginia during which time Robert served as chair of the Luther Institute in Washington, D.C., and, with his wife, became active at Colonial Williamsburg. Upon returning to St. Louis, Robert and Lori supported programs of portrayals of revolutionary period personnel from Colonial Williamsburg professional staff for Lutheran school system students. Robert and Lori instituted a program to send teachers from the Lutheran school systems to the Colonial Williamsburg annual summer institute, which continues today. Robert and Lori were long supporters of cultural institutions in St. Louis, and for years, assisted Robert Bergt in the founding, performance and recording of liturgical music by The American Kantorei. Since Lori's death, Robert has endowed a recurring performance of J.S. Bach's Mass in B Minor by the Bach Society of St. Louis.

All praise and thanks to God for a blessed life, for the precious years with Lori, for his children and all to follow.

Services: Visitation at Kutis Affton Chapel, 10151 Gravois Rd. 63123, on Wednesday, November 6, from 4-7 p.m., then at Concordia Lutheran Church, 505 S. Kirkwood Rd. 63122, on Thursday, November 7, from 9:30 a.m. until Funeral Service time at 10:00 a.m. Interment at Our Redeemer Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Duesenberg Brain Cancer Research Endowment at Washington University School of Medicine or The Robert H. Duesenberg & Lorraine F. Duesenberg Endowment Fund at Lutheran High School South, 9515 Tesson Ferry Road, St. Louis, MO 63123 www.lslancers.org are appreciated.