Robert Wayne Koneck

Bob Koneck, our beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, retired business executive, devout Catholic, and dedicated golfer, died on July 19, 2023, at his home in Fargo, North Dakota. He was 93.

Bob was married to the love of his life, Bernice Koneck (née Michaletz), for 60 years, and he missed her immensely after she died. Together, Bob and Bernice had an incredible life. With her support, Bob rose from humble beginnings to become president of two divisions of Ed Phillips & Sons, a liquor distribution company headquartered in Minneapolis. He was president of the western North Dakota division, based in Bismarck, and later of the much larger Nebraska division, based in Omaha. After his retirement from Ed Phillips, he helped open a franchise of Valentino’s, a favorite restaurant, in Fargo, together with his daughter Diana and son-in-law Jim Fleming.

Robert Wayne Koneck was born in Minneapolis on March 24, 1930, to John Koneck, the son of Czechoslovakian immigrants, and Gladys Louden, who came from a small town in North Dakota. Bob grew up as an only child in Northeast Minneapolis, where he forged friendships with other city kids whose parents worked hard to make ends meet during the Depression. A few of those friends remained close to him as lifelong confidants and travel companions and served as godparents to Bob’s children.

Bob and his friends were not sheltered. Several times when Bob was a young boy in the 1930s, his parents pinned his name on his shirt and sent him alone 330 miles by train to visit his grandparents in Cooperstown, North Dakota. He spoke of riding the streetcars into downtown Minneapolis at a young age. His father often took him to see movies, which fostered Bob’s love of the cinema and reading. And his love of adventure extended beyond fiction. He told many stories about his teenage life organizing boxing matches, hopping trains, and swimming in the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. He was a popular kid at Edison High School and participated in football and the school’s Vaudeville shows. He graduated in 1948.

After high school, Bob served in the Air Force for about two years. He loved to regale us with stories about his time in Japan and Korea. His responsibility was to survey enemy assets and territory by air, but his favorite memories were cultural experiences and endeavoring to understand the Japanese and Korean languages. Back on U.S. soil, he took great pride in participating on a traveling Air Force football team, as well as playing basketball, baseball, and softball during his time in service.

One night after Bob returned from the war, his mother told him to hurry down to the “Ranch,” his parents’ bar in downtown Minneapolis, to meet a beautiful young woman whose father was helping with some carpentry work there. The lovely lady was Bernice; Bob was smitten. He asked her to coffee that very evening, but at the end of this first date he realized he didn’t have any money with him. Bernice had to pay (a major faux pas in those days), but she must have seen through the blunder and recognized Bob’s true character because she gave him another chance. They were married on November 22, 1952.

Bob was a fantastic husband and father — there are so many special memories. He took the family on road trips to California (highlight: Disneyland), Michigan (highlight: Mackinac Island), Colorado (highlight: Garden of the Gods), Washington state, and countless lakes and attractions across Minnesota, the Dakotas and Wisconsin.

In the late 1950s, Bob began working as a liquor salesman. His steady promotions allowed him to provide well for his family, first in suburban Brooklyn Center and then in St. Anthony Village. In 1971, the family moved to Bismarck (where the western North Dakota division of Ed Phillips was based). Many of Bob’s family members still reside in North Dakota. His success there led to his final promotion, in 1979, to lead the large Nebraska division of the company. Bob and Bernice lived in Omaha until his retirement in 1984.

That year, Bob and Bernice helped open Valentino’s in Fargo, and then they began a decades-long turn as snowbirds, mostly alternating between Phoenix and Fargo. They loved to experience new things, which meant frequent moves and many travels. During his life, including winter homes, Bob had about fifty different street addresses and took many trips to Las Vegas, where he and Bernice enjoyed a network of friends and special privileges, and to Florida and the Caribbean. Later, they loved to travel with their children and grandchildren, including weeklong trips to various lakes in Minnesota; vacations in Hawaii; and a trip to New York City. After Bernice died, Bob took trips to Italy, Cuba, Florida, Arizona, California, and other places. Despite all the excitement of life, Bob and Bernice always maintained their ties and connections to their home city of Minneapolis.

Bob and Bernice took their obligations as Catholics seriously. They rarely missed mass and gave generously to their church and its causes. The family tells many stories about the lengths that Bob would insist on taking to ensure that he (and anyone with him) would make it to church if it was a Saturday evening, Sunday or a holy day of obligation.

Bob also played golf prolifically throughout his adult life, participating in countless golf games, tournaments, events, lessons, and the like. He viewed the game almost like a profession, always studying his latest rounds and relentlessly perfecting his swing, his putting and every aspect of his game. In his later years, golf, his family, and traveling were his passions, and often he combined all three.

Bob, who was known to many family members as “Gamper” and later to many as “Gramps,” was so proud of his family and the successful careers that each one of them created. Gamper is survived by his three children: John (and his wife, Debie) of North Oaks, Minnesota; Diana (and her husband, Jim) Fleming of Fargo, North Dakota; and Susan Brandt of Fargo; by five grandchildren: Jimmy Fleming (and his husband, David Roddenberry) of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Jeff (and his wife, Kristin) Brandt of Dickinson, North Dakota; Tom (and his wife, Elizabeth) Fleming of Mapleton, North Dakota; Tim (and his wife, Sam) Brandt of Horace, North Dakota; and Bob (and his wife, Ellen) Koneck of Lakeville, Minnesota; and by twelve great-grandchildren: Anna, Charlie, Drake, Henry, Jock, Johnny, Kambree, Karsyn, Katie, Kyla, Owen and Wally.

He was preceded in death by his wife and parents, who are described above.

Services will be held Monday, July 24, 2023, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in West Fargo, North Dakota — visitation at 9 AM and funeral at 10 AM. Burial and prayer service will be held Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at 2 PM at Gethsemane Cemetery in New Hope, Minnesota. All are welcome at the visitation, funeral and burial. If you plan to join us at the cemetery, please allow extra time to negotiate the road construction. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Alzheimer’s Association.