Robert "Bob" Orval Schaar

2023-09-07T13:56:59-05:00
Army Badge
  • Name: Robert "Bob" Orval Schaar
  • Location of Birth: Wichita, Kansas
  • Date of Birth: February 11, 1919
  • Date of Death: January 9, 2008 (88 years old)
  • Parents: Bruno and Christina Schaar, Sr.
  • High School and Class: 12th Grade
  • College:
  • Highest Rank: PFC (Private First Class)
  • Branch: Army
  • Other Branch:
  • Date Sworn In: June 21, 1944
  • Place Sworn In: Fort Snelling, Minnesota
  • Date of Discharge: December 5, 1945
  • Place of Discharge: Camp McCoy, Wisconsin
  • Units and Locations:
    Start Date End Date Unit(s) and Location(s) Served
    June, 1944 1st Army 7th Division
    November, 1945 36th Division
  • Military Awards:
    Awarded 7 Medals
    Bronze Star - World War II Victory
    Purple Heart
    Good Conduct
    European-African Middle Eastern Campaign
    Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award
    Honorable Service Lapel Button - World War II
    French Recognition Certificate from the French government

  • Military Highlights:
    Rifleman, ammunition handler, military police, machine gunner, riot gun, and pistol.
    Assisted civilian police in securing compliance with civil laws by military personnel.
    Bob was a World War II veteran in the Armored Division under General Patton and received the Purple Heart in the Battle of the Bulge.

  • Wars Involved:
    World War II

    Ardennes, Rhineland, Central Europe, Battle of the Bulge

  • MIA / POW:

  • Civilian Life:
    Bob married Bernice Hopkins on December 9, 1939. He lost one daughter at birth, Barbara in 1941. They had three sons, Wayne, Larry, and Tom, and one daughter, Elaine.

    Bob worked for the Department of Natural Resources and Itasca County for 35 years as a scaler, appraiser, and cruiser before retiring in 1982. Bob was a Minnesota Conservation Officer in law enforcement and Natural Resources.

    Bob was an Itasca County District 1 Commissioner for four years from 1982-1986. He was also an active life member of the Deer River American Legion Post #122 in Deer River, Minnesota, a life member of the Disabled American Veterans since 1963, and a 50-year member of the Chippewa Masonic Lodge 275 in Bigfork, Minnesota.

    Bob was a Boy Scout Leader of Talmoon Troop 86 for 12 years. For 40 years, he was a Minnesota Natural Resources Firearm Instructor. For 20 years, he was a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Snowmobile Safety Instructor. He played a lot of baseball on County League with Spring Lake and bounced many hardballs off the pine trees over the ball park fence. He loved to hunt and fish for over 30 years at his cabins in Canada with all his children and grandchildren. He also enjoyed harvesting wild rice for many years every fall.

    He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Bill Schaar and Bruno Schaar, Jr., and a sister, Helen.

    He is survived by his wife, Bernice Schaar, sons Wayne (Gay), Larry (Sandy), and Tom (Donna); daughter Elaine (Bill) Grossell, sixteen grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren.

    Burial in Sand Lake Cemetery at Sand Lake Township, Minnesota.

  • Tribal Affiliation(s):

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