Robert Alvin Onkka, 98, died Friday, October 9, 2020 in Rochester, Minnesota.
A private, family funeral service will be held at Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester on October 12, 2020. Burial will be at the Baldwin Cemetery, Baldwin, WI.
Bob was born in Virginia, MN, on June 15, 1922. He was the son of Eino and Inga (Broten) Onkka. He was raised in Windom, MN, where the family moved in 1929. He was confirmed at the Windom Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1937 and graduated from high school in 1940 with Dolores Johnson, his neighbor and future wife; the joy of his life. He started Concordia College, Moorhead, MN in 1941 and in 1942 began three years of service in the army. While in the army, he spent one year at Santa Clara College, Santa Clara, CA. On May 13, 1944, he and Dolores were married at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, San Diego, CA. He served in Europe with the 11th Armored Division as a forward observer in Headquarters Battery, 491st Artillery Battalion. While in the service, he suffered severe hearing loss from a concussion, and was wounded in combat and awarded the Purple Heart. He was discharged in October 1945 and returned to Concordia College in January 1946, graduating in 1948. He then attended Luther Theological Seminary, St. Paul, MN, graduating in 1951. Following ordination at the Windom church on June 10, 1951, Bob and Dolores served the Our Savior’s and Stanford Lutheran Churches, Rice Lake, WI, 1951-54; Trinity and Waverly Lutheran Churches, Truman, MN, 1955-60; Valders, Our Savior’s, and Gjerpen Lutheran Churches in Valders, WI, which were merged into one congregation, Faith Lutheran Church and a new church was built, 1960-73; and Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Baldwin, WI, 1973-87.
Upon retirement in October 1987, Bob and Dolores moved to Zumbrota, MN and two weeks later Bob started as a part-time pastor at Bethel Lutheran Church, Rochester, MN, where he served twenty-two years, until October 2009. During his active years he also served on the Bible Camp Boards for Luther Park Bible Camp, Chetek, WI; Green Lake Bible Camp, Spicer, MN, and Imago Dei Bible Camp, Clintonville, WI; vice-president, Northern Wisconsin District of the American Lutheran Church; Board of Directors, Luther Theological Seminary; Board of Directors, Lutheran Orient Mission Society; and Alumni Board of Concordia College. He was also chair of the Wisconsin Legislative Council and was appointed by the governor to the Wisconsin Judicial Commission.
Bob is survived by two children: Susan (David) Willig, Grinnell, IA; John (Mary) Onkka, Baldwin, WI. He is also survived by ten grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
He is preceded in death by his wife Dolores (1989), his parents, his brother Paul and wife Marsha, his sister Joan and husband Gerald Wiger, his brother Eino and wife Claire, and his daughter Ruth (Dale) Hinderaker.
Memorials may be directed to ELCA World Hunger.
Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com
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