Mass of Christian Burial for Robert James "Bob" Stecher, 81, of Hettinger, ND will be Friday, December 28, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hettinger. Fr. Chad Gion will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery. Visitations will be from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. Thursday at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger and one hour prior to the Mass on Friday morning. A Rosary/Vigil service will be at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday evening at the Church.

ROBERT JAMES STECHER was born on November 2, 1926 in Havelock, North Dakota, the son of Matthew and Katherine (Lisius) Stecher. He graduated from St. Mary's High School in New England, ND and worked as a lineman for a rural power company and then pursued his dream of farming.

He married LaVerne A. Blasy on June 15, 1949 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in New England, ND. They moved to a farm near Bucyrus in 1951. In September of 1998 they moved to Hettinger, North Dakota. He moved to the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Mott, North Dakota in 2006.

Bob served as a board member for the Reeder Farmer's Union for many years. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Reeder. His hobbies and interests included wood working, pinochle, golfing, fishing, and spending time with his grandchildren.

Bob Stecher passed away at the Good Samaritan Nursing Center in Mott on December 22, 2007.

He is survived by four daughters, Roberta (Robert) Patton of Broomfield, CO, Joan (Paige) Baker of Mandaree, ND, Renee (Darrell) Kilzer of Bentley, ND, and Coleen (Harold) Stecher-Himes of Morrison, CO; two sons David (Sylvia) Stecher of Cottage Grove, MN and Don (Cindy) Stecher of Hettinger; 20 grandchildren , 9 great-grandchildren, 2 sisters, Leona (Mike) Rettinger of Forsyth, MT and Shirley (Bob) Barker of Camano Island, WA.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife LaVerne, parents, one daughter, Mary Magdaline, one sister Lauretta Loehr, and one grandson, Corey Stecher