A life well lived, age 90, of Wayzata, Minn., passed away peacefully of natural causes at his home in Wayzata on December 3, 2017 surrounded by his loving family. Preceded in death by his parents, Howard R. Alton Sr. and Vera Boehmke Alton, and his sister Barbara Alton Fox. Survived by his wife, Camilla Ann Alton, his children Ann L. Alton, Jeanine P. Alton-Ryan (Shawn), Howard R. Alton III “Robin,” Patricia Alton Baker (Jeff), and Michelle Alton Bonomo (Sammy), 13 grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Memorials preferred to the Alton Fund at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Bob was born in 1927 in Pipestone, Minnesota where his father later owned and operated Pan-O-Gold Baking Co. Bob worked for the bakery early on, and after his father’s death, he became president of Pan- O-Gold. He served in the Marines in World War II and attended college on the GI Bill, first at Augustana College, and later at the University of Minnesota where he graduated with a business degree in 1950 and a law degree from Hamline School of Law in 1975. Today Pan-O-Gold has bakeries in St. Cloud, Fargo, and Madison, Wisc. He spent his career working in the baking industry.
Bob loved the outdoors and spending time at the lake. He owned a cabin on Lake Superior in Grand Marais. Bob loved to spend time outdoors, walking in the woods, boating all of the Great Lakes, fishing, hunting, and creating wildlife habitat, a true environmentalist. Many of his fondest memories were from the times he spent at his lake home in the Grand Marais area. He had many close friends in the community and enjoyed life to the fullest. He will be greatly missed.
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