Robert Mueller

Bob was born on March 8, 1926, in Irving, Ill., the youngest child of the late Andrew and Laura (Duffner) Mueller, joining his siblings Russell and Leilah June. He was raised on a small farm, attending a one-room country school.

In eighth grade he lived in town with his Uncle Robert and Aunt Frances where he was catechized, memorizing perfectly hundreds of Bible verses, and confirmed. He was given John 17:3 as his life verse: “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true GOD, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.”

Later, as a rebellious 17-year-old youth, while in a fit of rage, beating on the poor horse at the end of a cornrow, (in his own words), “GOD exploded into my life! I fell on my face in the dirt and said, ‘Oh, GOD! How foolish I have been!'” From that moment on, his life was not the same. Verses he had memorized years before, GOD brought back to him as he began to grow in his new walk with the LORD. He now wanted to know GOD, serve Him, and point others to Him.

After high school, he spent two years in the United States Navy during World War II, graduated from Elmhurst College, attended Wheaton Graduate School and graduated from Eden Theological Seminary.

While at Wheaton College, he married Alice Jarf on June 27, 1953, in Chicago, and then started a family. From 1956-1972 he pastored churches in southern Illinois, Milwaukee, and Carney. After an interlude selling for Farm Bureau Insurance, he became a chaplain at the VA hospital in Iron Mountain, where he served for 38 years until retirement in 2014. It was his joy to serve GOD in all these ways.

Bob was a man faithful to pray and passionate about sharing the love of Jesus and our sure hope of eternal life through faith in Christ’s death. He understood we need to love GOD and people and use things, and not the other way around. He loved GOD and His Word, his family, friends, and colleagues, and his country. He was a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Norway, the Crystal Lake Community Center and Northern Lights YMCA.

He is survived by two sons, Rodney (Linnea) Mueller of Champaign, Ill. and Ronald (Ruthie) Mueller of Carney; daughter, Judi (Butch) Hayes of Norway; daughter-in-law, Connie Mueller of Norway; 15 grandchildren, Jonathan (Friedy), Johanna (Micah), Daniel (Amy), Peter (Kelly), Rebecca (Keir), Steven (Bethany), Angela (Chad), Andrew, Isaac, Hannah, Joshua, Yesenia (Brent), Chelsea, Meaghan (Bryce), and Randy (Emily); 15 great-grandchildren, Alice and Robby, John and Lucas, Mia, Andrew and Ruby, Elise and Sara, Noah and Axel, Nate and Mikey, and Mav and Eloise; two brothers-in-law, Alfred (Char) Jarf and John (Ella) Jarf of Oceanside, Calif.; and seven nieces and their families.

Besides his parents, Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Alice; and his son, Gary in 2003; and great-grandsons, Elias Pope, Caedon Swanson, and at least nine babies who miscarried early and are safely HOME in the arms of Jesus.

Monetary donations may be designated, if desired, towards Gideons International, Walk of Life Pregnancy Services, Iron Mountain or Creation Research Institute.

The family wishes to express our heartfelt thanks to all his kind caregivers and friends over the past several years.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 3 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Norway.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Evangelical Covenant Church with Rev. James Danielson officiating.

Interment will follow at the Norway Township Cemetery.

Condolences to the family of Robert may be made at ortmanfuneralhome@norwaymi.com.

Arrangements were made with the Ortman Funeral Home in Norway.