Robert Kane

Robert Francis Kane, age 68 of Sauk Centre, Minnesota, died peacefully at home surrounded by family after a long battle with cancer on Sunday, April 15, 2018.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 21, 2018, at Our Lady of the Angels Church in Sauk Centre. Father Steve Binsfeld will preside. Inurnment will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Sauk Centre.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 20 at Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre and from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday at Our Lady of the Angels Church.

Bob was born October 5, 1949, in St. Cloud, Minn., to Joseph and Lucille (Toelle) Kane. He attended Holy Family School and was a graduate of Sauk Centre High School, class of 1968. He married his high school sweetheart, Gail Gamradt, also of Sauk Centre, on November 23, 1974. Together they have three children and six grandchildren with another grandchild on the way.

Bob was a standout athlete and forged many of his life-long friendships through his participation in football, basketball, and baseball. Bob enrolled at Willmar State Junior College to play baseball and transferred to St. Cloud State to pitch for the Huskies. Bob graduated with a degree in education. He loved golf and was a member of the Sauk Centre Country Club. Bob especially enjoyed watching Minnesota's college and professional sports teams with family and friends.

Bob served in the Army National Guard of Minnesota and as a Reserve of the Army. He was honorably discharged with rank of Specialist Four, Company C, 1st Bn, 136th Infantry.

In 1974, Bob joined Kane Transport with his mother and brothers. He worked 33 years as a driver, dispatcher, salesman, and CEO. The business continues to operate successfully today and is one of the largest liquid bulk carriers in Minnesota. Farming was also of special interest to Bob. He managed his farm near Padua and loved to visit the crops and windmills.

Bob enjoyed giving back to the community that helped support and shape him during his life. Holy Family School held a special place in his heart, and he enjoyed lending his financial support to allow others to get the same solid education he did as a child. He also supported post-secondary education with college scholarships for Sauk Centre High School graduates and established an endowed scholarship at the University of St. Thomas in St Paul where two of his children attended. In 2014, he traveled to Cusco, Peru, with Smile Network to support doctors providing life altering reconstructive surgeries to impoverished children and adults.

He was a member of Our Lady of the Angels Church of Sauk Centre and The Church of St. Mary of Alexandria.

Bob is survived by his wife of 43 years, Gail (Gamradt) Kane of Sauk Centre; children, Angela (Chris) Haas of Burnsville Minn., Peter (Ellen) Kane of Inver Grove Heights Minn., and Patrick (Brittany) Kane of Sauk Centre; six grandchildren; siblings, Claren Kane and Michael (Roxanne) Kane all of Sauk Centre; and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Lucille Kane; brothers, Thomas and David; and his father and mother-law, Harry and Loraine Gamradt.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Holy Family School of Sauk Centre.