A Celebration of Life Service to honor the life and legacy of Bob Espenson, age 81, of Bingham Lake, will be held Thursday, June 18th at 11:00 AM at the Mountain Lake Alliance Church in Mountain Lake.

A visitation for Bob will be held on Wednesday, June 17th from 4:00-7:00 PM at the Mountain Lake Alliance Church in Mountain Lake. Visitation will continue Thursday, June 18th, at the Mountain Lake Alliance Church in Mountain Lake for one hour prior to the service from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. The service will be livestreamed on the Mountain Lake Alliance Church YouTube channel.

Robert "Bob" Lloyd Espenson, 81, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on June 7, 2026.

Bob was born on October 26, 1944, in New Ulm, Minnesota, to Richard Lloyd Espenson and Dorothy Mae (Cunningham) Espenson. He was raised with a strong work ethic, deep faith, and a lifelong commitment to family-values that guided every part of his life.

On August 31, 1968, Bob married the love of his life, Marsha Marie Henningsen. Together they built a life centered on faith, family, farming, and service. They shared nearly 58 years of marriage and were blessed with five children.

Bob spent much of his life farming, raising corn and soybeans and caring for his beloved beef herd. He also worked for Jeffers Shields, Fast Distributing, and Glad Corn. Known for his strong work ethic, compassion, loyalty, and playful sense of humor, Bob took pride in a job well done. He especially enjoyed mowing and could often be found tending his yard, the lake area, and his fields, finding satisfaction in keeping them neat, beautiful and well cared for.

Family was one of Bob's greatest joys. He loved following his grandchildren in their activities and could often be found in the arena cheering them on at hockey games. He became an avid reader who especially enjoyed studying God's Word and listening to music. Bob and Marsha shared many meaningful crop tours together over the years. He had a fondness for John Deere green and yellow. A man of steadfast faith, Bob devoted many years to serving through AWANA, helping young children learn about Jesus. He also cherished his time with the XYZ Bible Study group and Sunday morning coffee fellowship. He leaves behind a legacy of faith, hard work, devotion to family, and service to others.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Marsha Espenson; his children, Karla (Mark) Hockel, Marty (Patty) Espenson, Jason (Cindy) Espenson, Michael (DeeDee) Espenson, and Justin (Brittany) Espenson; his grandchildren, Clay (Hannah) Hockel, Morgan (Peter) Jurickovich, Mia (Jonny) Klause, MacKenzie (Levi) Herring, Dakota (Carsyn) Hockel, Ryley (Bridgette) Espenson, Kyle (Kailey) Espenson, Brady Espenson and Payten Benda, Alex (Kristen) Espenson, Elliot Espenson, Londyn Espenson, Meadow Espenson, Zach Espenson, Nick Espenson, and Kole Espenson; and his great-grandchildren, Noelle, Lane, Dirks, MacKoy, Marsha-Pearl, Hadley, Jax, and Kasyn; siblings, Sandy (Ronnie) Dick, Rich (Marian) Espenson, and Monica Totman; brother-in-law, Tony (Patricia) Henningsen; along with many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Dorothy Espenson; his stepmother, Edna Espenson; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Carl and Genevieve Henningsen; and his brother-in-law, Roger Totman.

Bob's life was a testament to faithful living. Through his love for Jesus, devotion to his family, commitment to hard work, and willingness to serve others, he touched countless lives. His steady presence, generous heart, and enduring faith will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew him. Though his earthly work is complete, the seeds of faith, love, and integrity that Bob planted throughout his life will continue to bear fruit for generations to come.

"Well done, good and faithful servant." - Matthew 25:23