Robert Dickhudt

July 27, 1935 — June 25, 2023

Robert John Dickhudt entered into eternal life on June 25, 2023, at the age of 87, surrounded by family members.

Born July 27, 1935, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Walter and Alma (Thoele) Dickhudt, he was the youngest child of seven. In addition to his wife, Doris (Vrudny), to whom he was married for 63 years (July 19, 1959), and his children David (Rose Yeo), Janet, Karen (Clay) Carrick, Daryl (Angela), and Dan (Laurie), he is survived by 9 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild, with two more on the way in July. He is also survived by his siblings, Herbert and Marion. He was preceded in death by his parents and his elder siblings Robert Walter, Dorothy, Wallace and Grace.

He grew up in Saint Paul and had not planned on higher education until a friend encouraged him to go in that direction.  He took that advice to heart and earned degrees in Education from Concordia College Saint Paul and Concordia College Seward, Nebraska. Later he received a Masters degree in Education from University of Minnesota and finally later in life a Masters in Counseling from Wayne State University.

He always had a heart for sharing the Gospel and especially for children.  His first full-time teaching position was at Gethsemane Lutheran School in St. Paul. While there, he and Doris attended a mission fair and heard about how the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod was recruiting educational missionaries to serve in Hong Kong. In 1964, they packed up their then 3 children, and flew off on Northwest Orient Airlines to Hong Kong.

He served the Chinese Lutheran schools in Hong Kong for 8 years, where he led English language instruction programs, served as principal and even provided oversight as a new school was built on a site blasted from a mountainside. Son Daryl was born in Hong Kong in 1966. In 1969 he and Doris routed the family's furlough trip through Russia and Europe to the US.  Son Daniel was born in Hong Kong also in 1969.  That was a busy year! At one point he joined a mission trip to build latrines in Baguio City in the Philippines, leaving Doris to manage the houseful of children on her own.  Somehow the entire family survived that experience.

In 1972 the family departed Hong Kong and returned to the US by way of Europe, where they had an unforgettable car and tent camping trip to all the major tourist sites and wrapped up with a voyage across the Atlantic on the SS France.

In Saginaw, Michigan he taught at Bethlehem Lutheran School as the family adjusted to life in the US.  In 1976 he accepted a call as principal and teacher to Guardian Lutheran School in Dearborn and the family moved to Rosedale Park in Detroit.  After many years as principal, he decided to build on his genuine love for people and families and accepted the new position of Family Life Director at Guardian until his eventual retirement from paid ministry work.

He and Doris were active in the Rosedale Park community and neighborhood association. He was active in International Student Ministry and led a dedicated group of volunteers engaged in outreach on the campus of Wayne State University.  He pioneered Guardian's involvement in the Angel Tree gift ministry to children and participated for decades in Crossroads Prison Ministries by reviewing and providing feedback on Bible study work done by incarcerated individuals.

After he and Doris moved to Dearborn Heights, he continued to reach out in that ethnically diverse neighborhood to cultivate relationships and to share the Gospel message in a loving manner, such as through Christmas caroling.

When he was not engaged in service to others he enjoyed golf, fishing, gardening, spending time with his grandchildren or extended family and traveling. In addition to their time living overseas in Hong Kong he and Doris were able to travel to Europe, Latin America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand on various occasions. They loved meeting and talking with people in all those places.

Family visitation will be held on Thursday, June 29, 2023 from 4-8pm at Howe Peterson Funeral Home at 22546 Michigan Ave. Dearborn.  The funeral service for Bob will be held at Guardian Lutheran Church in Dearborn, Michigan on Friday, June 30, 2023, instate at 10:00 am with service at 11:00am. A lunch reception will follow the service in the fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred in his memory to Guardian Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, Crossroads Prison Ministries (cpministries.org) or International Student Ministries Inc. (isminc.org).

Link to the live stream:

Celebration of life for Robert John Dickhudt (6-30-23)