Robert N. "Bob" Evensen age 75 of Appleton, formerly of Ripon, passed away on Thursday, October 20, 2005 surrounded by his family at Cherry Meadows Hospice in Appleton. Bob was born on September 25, 1930 in the Town of Aurora to Albert & Marie (Drew) Evensen. He grew up helping his father on the farm and was graduated from Berlin High School in 1948. After high school and some time at college, he served his country as a corpsman in the US Navy attached to a US Marine infantry unit during the Korean War. After Korea, he returned to college, attending and graduating from UW Madison, with a degree in Pharmacy in 1956. His first professional pharmacy position was at Children's Hospital in Milwaukee. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Sharon A. Stoer who was a nurse at the same hospital. Bob married Sharon on January 9, 1960 in Milwaukee. After their marriage, Bob and Sharon moved to Oshkosh where Bob served as a pharmacist in a local pharmacy. In 1964 he joined a partnership that operated a drugstore in Ripon. This partnership led to the creation of Ripon Drug, which he helped manage for over 30 years.

Bob was always active in his community and church, serving as the first President of Ripon Main St., Inc., and also as a Past President of the Ripon Noon Kiwanis Club. He will best be remembered though for his green thumb and the way he meticulously cared for his beautiful gardens. Bob greatly enjoyed playing cards and golf with his many friends. He was also a big fan of the Wisconsin Badger and Green Bay Packer football teams. In his later years however, Bob found the greatest happiness spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.

Bob is survived and will be missed by his wife of 45 years, Sharon of Appleton; his sons, Paul of Paris, France, Dan and his wife, Erika of Neenah, Robb and his wife Chris of Kenosha; his daughter, Ellen of Appleton; his grandchildren, Hannah and Matthew and step grandson, Michael. He is further survived by his sisters Ruth Bulchuck of Sun City, Arizona, Joyce and her husband William Hackney of Redgranite; brother in law Orlow Sommerfeldt of Berlin; sister in law, Loma and her husband Wayne Gaulke of Maribel, his nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Betty Sommerfeldt, his father and mother in law Ken and Helen Stoer, and brother in law, Florian Bulchuck.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 at 11:30 a.m. at First English Lutheran Church, 326 E. North Street, in Appleton, with the Rev. Vicki Fink and Rev. David Lyle officiating. Gathering and visitation will be at the church on Wednesday from 9:30 until the time of the service. Memorials in lieu of flowers in BobÂ's name should be sent to First English Lutheran Church or the University of Wisconsin Cancer Center, and are greatly appreciated. BobÂ's family expresses heartfelt thanks to Cherry Meadows Hospice and the radiation oncology department at St. ElizabethÂ's Hospital for the wonderful care he received, and their many friends and relatives for all the love and support they have shown during BobÂ's illness.