Robert Joseph Tusa, 77, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Sunday, January 31, 2021 at the Good Samaritan Society Sogge Memorial where he had been a resident for over a year. Robert was born to the late Alfred and Beulah (Baker) Tusa on March 20th, 1943 at the Halloran Hospital in Jackson, MN and was raised on the family farm in Middletown Township. He was baptized, made his first communion, and confirmed in the Catholic Faith. He attended country school District 55, then high school, graduating from Jackson in the class of 1961. While in high school, he excelled in basketball and track, which lead him to Worthington Jr. College, where he broke the shotput record and starred in disc and high jump. In 1964, he was involved in an automobile accident which left him wheelchair bound for the rest of his life. After a year of rehabilitation, he attended Jackson Vocational School and earned an Associate Degree as a draftsman landing him a job with HDR of Omaha. He returned home and then attended Southwest MN State University at Marshall, MN. In 1969, he was instrumental in organizing the first state wheelchair basketball tournaments at SMSU. He qualified for the USA Para Olympic Team and embarked on an amazing tour of athletic competition. He was invited, along with others, to perform for Pope Paul II in Rome in 1981. Robert is preceded in death by his parents, nephew; Travis Mier and his son; Elliot and Frank Slifka. Left to cherish Robert's everlasting memory is his three sisters, Janet (Wayne) Fischer of Jackson, Leah Kelloway of Spirit Lake, IA, Jean (Robert) Ferguson of Slayton and the love of his life, Jean Gross of Jackson and many nieces and nephews. Blessed be the memory of Robert Joseph Tusa