Robert Joseph Chevalier of Glenwood, MN died suddenly February 15, 2009, at the Clinica Del Mar Hospital in Mazatlan, Mexico with his wife Carole, at his side. Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday February 27th at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Glenwood Minnesota. Visitation and prayer service will be held from 4:00p.m. to 7:00p.m. Thursday at St. Francis Catholic Church in Benson, MN.Bob was born in Benson, MN on May 5, 1928 to Cleddy and Evelyn (Reardon) Chevalier. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Francis Catholic Church in Benson, Minnesota. He attended Benson High School and graduated from St. John's Preparatory in Collegeville, MN in 1946. Bob obtained his BA degree from St. John's University in 1949. While in college, he spent one summer studying at the University of Mexico in Mexico City, the experience that led to a life long love of the people and culture of Mexico. His parents passed early in his life; his mother while he was a student at St. John's, and his father a few years after his graduation from college. His first job as an insurance underwriter in Minneapolis ended when he moved back to assume the family insurance business at the time of his father's death. He met his wife, Carole, in Benson and they were married May 2, 1953 at St. Francis Catholic Church and together they lived and worked in Benson for the next 32 years. During those years, his five children were born and he involved himself at many levels civically, socially, and within his church both in Benson and Glenwood where his family spent the summers on Lake Minnewaska.As a local businessman and entrepreneur, he expanded from insurance into tax services, a local travel agency and radio stations in Benson and Shakopee, Minnesota and Cheyenne, Wyoming. He established the North Star companies in order to promote affordable rental housing in rural communities in Minnesota, Wyoming and Alaska. Bob, along with a business partner, started building the Village of Baycrest in Glenwood in the late 1970's and that project remained throughout the years to be a major focal point of his creative business endeavors. His civic interests included serving on the Benson School Board, as a BIDC board member, and as Chairman of Kid Day. Early in his life he developed an interest in public speaking, joined Toastmasters, and taught Dale Carnegie public speaking courses to prisoners, as well as serving as emcee at numerous Benson events. He represented St. Francis Catholic School in Benson as a New Ulm Diocesan School Board member and was active in many ways within his church, including serving as a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus. Later in life, he annually attended men's religious retreats and his family describes him as a deeply religious and spiritual man.An advocate of preservation and development, Bob restored the Paris Hotel in Benson and managed the business until it was destroyed by fire in 1976. Among his many interests, he enjoyed piloting his small aircraft, playing drums in local bands with friends, raising buffalo, hunting and fishing, traveling with family and friends, and building his family's first lake cabin. He had many friends in the area with whom he played cards, danced, golfed, and all would say he knew how to have fun. He particularly loved boating and throughout his life whether in Minnesota, Canada, Alaska or Mexico, he sought to spend time on or near water. A true philanthropist, he initiated and supported many charities especially related to education and community development, including Familia, a children's educational charity in Mazatlan. Fluent in Spanish, he volunteered as a teacher in the English as a second language program in Mazatlan, Mexico.His family would say about him; "He worked and played hard all his life and at 80 years old, wasn't considering full retirement or slowing down. He believed in dedication to all he endeavored, and passed along his strong work ethic to his family, more recently his grandsons who assisted him in completing unique landscaping projects at Baycrest. He identified individuals who suffered in life, whether due to hardship or lack of opportunity, and empowered and helped them, impacting many lives in a positive way. What an immense blessing we all have had in knowing such an incredible man, strong yet gentle, compassionate, kind, loving and most importantly, endlessly devoted to his wife and family above all." He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Carole, children and grandchildren; Carrie (Patrick) Chevalier-Mosher of Minnetonka (Elena and Tara Sotirin); Connie Chevalier of Eagle River, Alaska (Meagan, Max and Chad Holmquist); Catherine Chevalier-Lien of Benson (Amanda and Patrick Gilmore); Michel (Katherine) Chevalier of Glenwood (Abby Mitchell and Sydnie and Ava Chevalier); Cecelia (Jon) Chevalier-Larson of Alexandria (Christopher Steffl, Alex, Caitlin and Benjamin Larson); sister, Kathleen Wooldridge of Naples, Florida. Preceded in death by his parents. In lieu of flowers, donations to local food shelves preferred. Monetary donations will be forwarded to charitable organizations in Mazatlan. Arrangements by Zniewski Funeral Home in Benson.
