John Paul Robb

August 1, 1968 – June 13, 2023

St Paul, MN, USA

life story

Son, Brother, Uncle, Cousin and Friend

A Celebration of Life will be held August 19, 2023, at Roseville Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1215 West Roselawn Ave., Roseville, MN from 10 – 1 pm. Dress is casual. A private family Interment will be held at Roselawn Cemetery on August 18.

Obituary

John Paul Robb, 54, of St Paul, MN passed away on June 13, 2023, at Regions Hospital, St Paul, MN with palliative care for COPD and severe emphysema.

He was born in St Paul, MN on August 1, 1968, to D Bruce and Janet Robb. He welcomed his sister Margo in 1971 and her children Milo in 2003 and Beatrix Carrott in 2006.

John Paul attended Mounds View High School, New Mexico Military Institute, U of Wi Oshkosh, and U of MN Minneapolis. John studied psychology and Spanish and spent a semester in Salamanca, Spain. Work opportunities included St Paul Schools After School Program, US Post Office, school bus driver, and Clear-Cut Painting contracts.

Always active from youth to adult, his sports included t-ball, soccer, tennis, gymnastics, skateboarding, climbing heights, jumping off cliffs, biking, swimming, diving, billiards, and table tennis. One risky skateboard adventure was down steep Gramsie Road in Shoreview. He loved competing in local, state, and regional table tennis tournaments and instructing others about the game. Taylors Falls was a challenge for him and friends to jump off the cliffs into the St Croix River. His parents always brought a second set of clothes when trips were near water. Invariably, he was always stepping, jumping, or falling in the water!

The arts included musical talent playing the piano and trumpet. He performed in recitals, competitions, school and GTCYS concerts, and church events. Although he doubted his singing, he performed in a church play with a lead singing part. Visual art works included a painting of the Taylors Falls cliffs and a favorite summer vacation Pelican Lake sunset. Other fun vacations included Disneyland, Disneyworld, and visits to many states.

Scouting was a constant activity spent with his scout leader father. He became an Eagle Scout by completing many merit badges along with an Eagle Project at Roseville Early Childhood Toy and Parenting Library where his mother was employed. Tomahawk Scout camp, boundary water canoe trip and camping were happy times for him.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Emil and Vera Hendrickson, G Edwin and Ruth Robb, and Aunt Sara Ribiat. In addition to his parents, sister, nieces, and Aunt Marge Cook-Dixon, he is survived by many cousins and friends who will miss his humor, spirit, and stoic ability to face nicotine addiction and bipolar mental health challenges.

Thank you to Guild Incorporated, Health Partners, Villas of St Paul, and Regions Hospital for their compassionate care. In lieu of flowers a memorial may be directed to Guild, 122 South Wabasha St, Suite 400, St Paul, MN 55107; National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), PO Box 49104, Baltimore, MD 21297, or your choice.