Robert C. "Bob"Gullikson

Robert C. “Bob” Gullikson, age 89, of Yankton, South Dakota, died on Monday, February 17, 2020 at Avera Sister James Care Center in Yankton. Memorial mass is 10:30 AM, on Thursday, February 27, 2020 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Yankton with Reverend Larry Regynski officiating. Burial with military honors will be at the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Yankton at a later date. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the memorial mass at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Yankton. Robert Clair Gullikson was born February 23, 1930 at the rural Wagner, SD home of his Aunt and Uncle, Eliza and Tom Gullikson. He and his eight siblings attended rural schools in the Wagner area, and after completing the eighth grade, Bob began working for neighboring farmers — often living with them months at a time where he was treated as family. Bob entered the United States Army in October, 1951 and was discharged in September, 1953, having spent two years with the occupation forces in Berlin, Germany. For two years following his military service, Bob assisted in the construction of electrical highline towers throughout Iowa and South Dakota. He met Jean Ann Duhaime in 1955 and married on May 7, 1956. They so on moved to Omaha where Bob attended universal trade school for heating and air conditioning. In 1957, Bob, Jean Ann, and their young son, Michael, moved to Yankton where they welcomed two more sons, James and Tom to their family. In Yankton, Bob was employed by Larson Brothers Heating & Cooling for two years and soon accepted employment as Maintenance Supervisor at Mount Marty College and Sacred Heart Convent/Monastery where he happily spent the next 42 years working for the college where his sons earned degrees. Bob was honest and hard working. He loved his work, family, and friends. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, woodworking, and humbly took pride in his innate ability to repair practically anything. Bob and Jean Ann have been members of Sacred Heart Church in Yankton for over 60 years. He spent his later years living with his wife at Avera Majestic Bluffs Assisted Living. Bob is survived by his wife, Jean Ann Gullikson of Yankton; three sons, Michael (Darla) Gullikson of Yankton, James (Donna) Gullikson of Hawarden, IA and Tom (Yoko) Gullikson of Tokyo, Japan; five grandchildren: Devin, Mitchell and Paige Gullikson of Yankton, Noah (Kelsey) Gullikson of Locust Grove, CA and Tegan (Brian) Harris of Smyrna, GA; great grandson, Oliver Harris; six brothers and sisters: Vernon (Sue) Gullikson of Crawford, NE, Pearl Brecht of Plymouth, IN, Clifford (Darlene) Gullikson of Yankton, Bud (Sharon) Gullikson of Yankton, Ernie Gullikson of Wakonda, SD and Gary Gullikson of Yankton; and many nieces and nephews. Bob was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Gordon Gullikson; sister, Carol Ann St. Pierre; and brothers-in-law, Burnell St. Pierre and Martin Brecht. The family would prefer memorials to the Robert C. and Jean Ann Gullikson Memorial Scholarship at Mount Marty College in Yankton.