Bob Hertzenberg

Henry Robert “Bob” Hertzenberg, 89, Breckenridge , MN, died Thursday, November 20, 2008 at St. Francis Home , Breckenridge.


His f uneral will be held on Sunday, November 23, at 2:00 p.m. at Breckenridge Lutheran Church with Pastor Mark Manning officiating.



Visitation will be Saturday, November 22, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home, Breckenridge , MN . There will also be visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery , Breckenridge , MN

Henry Robert Hertzenberg was born in Minneapolis , Minnesota on December 3, 1918, the eldest son of Henry and Charlotte (Holt) Hertzenberg. His father was an architect and Bob enjoyed spending a couple summers in Northern Minnesota at a summer camp his father designed and built. His father died in 1929 when Bob was only 12 years old and during the depression Bob worked to help support his family. He also excelled in music, playing both the cello and clarinet and at one time played cello with the Minneapolis Orchestra.

He graduated from South High School in 1936 and although he was enrolled to go to college at St. Olaf, worked instead to help support his family. He later got a job working at the John Deere offices in Minneapolis and attended night school at the University of Minnesota . He later graduated from the Minnesota School of Banking and continued taking courses of the University of Minnesota .

Bob met Jean Sorenson in 1939 and the two were married at Salem Lutheran Church in Minneapolis on November 15, 1941.

Bob enlisted with the Navy in March of 1942 and served in the Pacific Theater on the U.S.S. Auburn. He cherished the memory of watching the American flag being raised at Iwo Jima .

He returned to Minneapolis in October of 1945 and moved to New Richmond, Wisconsin in 1946 with his wife and oldest Gerald, born in 1944. Bob worked for the Bank of New Richmond. Their twin sons, Richard and Robert, were born in 1948 and their daughter, Ann, was born in 1961.

Bob and Jean moved with their family to Breckenridge , Minnesota in 1964 where Bob became the President and Chairman of the First National Bank of Breckenridge (n/k/a Bank of the West). He also immersed himself as president of the district bankers association, chairman of the Breckenridge planning commission and president of the Breckenridge Lutheran Church . He was a past president of the Breckenridge Rotary Club, a member of the Breckenridge Lake Agassiz Library board and was a member of the advisory board of St. Francis Hospital and an executive member of the SSS-300 Club board. He was also a member of the VFW and the American Legion.



After retirement, Bob worked for the American Bankers Association and Minnesota Bankers Association. He and Jean traveled during their retirement years to Europe, Scandinavia , New Zealand and many other places. He entered St. Francis Nursing Home in 2004 where he resided until his death.

He is survived by his wife, Jean, sons Jerry (Diana), Kingwood, TX; Rick (Joleen) Overland Park, KS; and Rob, St. Louis, MO; and daughter, Ann (Bob) McGray, Breckenridge. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Charlotte, his brother Richard and his sister, Marilyn Ernst.