Robert Thorson, 74, St. Cloud

May 7, 1949 - February 24, 2024

Robert (Bob) Thorson, age 74, of St Cloud, passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, February 24,2024. Public visitation and celebration of Bob’s life will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 8, 2024 at the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home, 1900 8th St N.,St Cloud MN 56303. Private Family Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, March. 9, 2024 at the funeral home.

Bob was born on May 7, 1949 to Charles and Anna Mae (Sachs) Thorson in Appleton, MN. He graduated from Appleton High School with the class of 1967. A baseball scholarship led him to Mayville State University, N.D., where he majored in education. After college he had a short career playing baseball. Bob taught social studies and physical education and he also coached in Monterrey, Mexico and Clinton, MN. In 1975 he attended University of Wisconsin, Superior, WI earning his master’s degree in guidance and counseling. Bob transitioned his work over to financial planning in 1976, and that became his lifetime career . He married Candi Taffe on November 15, 1975 in Barry, MN, and they spent much of their life of nearly 50 years together in St Cloud.

Bob enjoyed all sports. In 1989 he went to a Waite Park Baseball meeting intending to volunteer to coach a team. He not only landed that coaching position, but he also became president of Waite Park baseball. Bob brought Babe Ruth baseball to Waite Park and several surrounding communities. He held several offices for Babe Ruth at the district and state level. He was inducted into the MN Babe Ruth - Cal Ripken Hall of Fame in 2021 in recognition for his service. Bob enjoyed playing racquetball and he made many friends on the court and in the debriefing afterwards. His golf group were his “younger competitors”. Bob loved the outdoors and hunting and fishing. His deer hunting group has been together for 50 years. Their hunting location had changed over the years but the comradery was timeless. He was so lucky to be able to go on 3 fishing trips after the cancer diagnosis because of his many good friends.

Survivors include his wife, Candi; his children, Nicole and Cody; granddaughter, Emma; siblings, Mary Ann, Donald, Margaret, Marjorie, Thomas, Marie and James; and many nieces and nephews.