Robert Barclay Hoxie–just Bob to his friends–was enfolded by the Light of God on September 10, 2024. He was 72 years old.
Bob was born to George Maxfield (Max) Hoxie and Dorothy (Dee) Smart Hoxie in Wells, Minnesota on June 30, 1952, the youngest of three children. He graduated from high school in Glencoe, Minnesota and spent several years at St. Olaf College, but left to pursue a more practical, hands-on career of driving, fixing, and building beautiful things.
Bob was married to Gail Pexa in 1976. Most of their life together was spent in Northfield, where Bob owned a moving business for a time and also worked as facilities manager at Laura Baker School. Although they later divorced, Bob remained immensely proud of their three children, Gina, Jeff, and Ellen.
Though most people endure changes during their lifetimes, Bob was that rare soul who actually experienced transformation through suffering. His first soul change came through his commitment to recovery in AA and their teaching on the spirituality of imperfection. The second transformation occurred when he encountered the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) with their radical peacemaking work and their desire to respond to “that of God in everyone.” From the mid 1990s, he was an active member of the Rochester Friends Meeting, where he was serving as Clerk of Meeting at the time of his death.
Following the Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, and equality, Bob never sought wealth or recognition. Instead, he invested heavily in kindness, care of creation, and the conviction that peace can and must be taught and learned from childhood on. He spent the last days before his unexpected death preparing a presentation on that subject.
Bob enjoyed music, particularly the Beach Boys and Mozart. He used his deep bass voice to good effect in several chorales, including I Cantanti of Northfield, the East Central Minnesota Chorale, and many church choirs.
A graduate of the Master Gardener program, Bob was instrumental in starting a community garden in Cambridge, Minnesota, while volunteering full-time at the ARC Retreat Center, “fixing everything from the toaster to the tractor,” and welcoming guests to the atmosphere of reflective silence he himself treasured. At ARC, he also met Jan Wiersma, with whom he would spend the remainder of his life. They shared the relationship of anam cara, “soul friend,” to each other.
Bob honed his mechanical skills in the never-ending task of renewing and revitalizing his 1995 Dodge Dakota pickup and his 1968 MG Midget, and kept his hands grease-free by washing all the household dishes. He acknowledged a special relationship with wood, and delighted especially in making wooden toys for his grandchildren, furniture for the home, and whittling curious characters, both human and animal.
Bob will be greatly missed by all those who enjoyed the gentle light of his presence, his rare comments, which were unfailingly wise and often humorous, and the generosity of his helpful nature.
Bob is survived by his life partner, Jan Wiersma; an older sister, Roxanne Clark of Cherokee, NC; an older brother, George (Ann) Hoxie, of Duluth; daughter Gina Hoxie of Washington, DC; son Jeff Hoxie (Gretchen) of Waconia; daughter Ellen Van Tassel (Brad) of Forest Lake; and grandchildren Madyson (“Mady”), Isabella (“Bella”), Stuart, Peter, Cambell, Brody, Raegan, Weston, and Eli. He is also the spiritual adopted brother of Jacque Wiersma (Ken Solberg) of Minnetonka and Wendy Bronson of Cambridge, MN. Finally, he is mourned by April, the most recent in a succession of beloved canine companions.
Tributes in Bob’s memory may be made to the Friends Committee on National Legislation (fcnl.org), Nonviolent Peaceforce (https://nonviolentpeaceforce.org/) or a peace-promoting organization of your choice.
A service of thanksgiving for the life of Bob Hoxie will be held on Sunday, October 6, 3:00 pm, at Chosen Generation Parish, 1310 10th Ave NE, Rochester, 55906.
