In Memoriam: Bob Frost 1952-2011

This is a slightly revised version of the earlier memorial video, aided by better quality photos and more enjoyable pictures. Thanks to all for the contributions -- in either memories or photos.



Robert Lee Frost, II, October 25, 1952- March 26, 2011

Bob Frost lost his battle with cancer on March 26, 2011. Bob was born in Bethesda, Maryland on October 25, 1952 to William Prescott and Phyllis Gordon Frost. He was raised in Washington, D.C., Eugene, Oregon, and Panama City Beach, Florida. Deeply troubled by the violence and resistance to desegregation that he witnessed coming of age in the South in the 1960s, Bob devoted his life to a struggle for equality, peace and social justice. In 1971, as a sophomore at Grinnell College, he met his future wife, Margaret; and they were married on June 5, 1976. Bob earned a B.A. from Grinnell College, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Bob was a devoted, energetic, and beloved teacher throughout his academic career at Carthage College, Wabash College, American University, the State University of New York at Albany, and the University of Michigan. He brought his enthusiasm for information and ideas into the classroom to inspire his students, for whom he cared deeply. He inherited a liking for tinkering from his father and expressed this in many wood working and general "improvement" projects. He was also an audiophile and lover of all sorts of jazz, classical, folk, and world music. In addition to his wife, Margaret Hedstrom, Bob is survived by a dear sister, Elinor G. Frost of Portland, Oregon, and two other siblings, Carol Frost Gustafson of Sacramento, California and Nicholas Frost of Ashland, Oregon; nephew, Jef Beason, and nieces Lilly Markowitz and Ellie Hanson. He is also survived by a loving family of Hedstrom in-laws: father-in-law Herbert M. Hedstrom of Grand Marais, Minnesota, sister-in-law, Mary Jane Hedstrom of Golden Valley, Minnesota, brother-in-law, Alan Hedstrom of Fort Myers Beach Florida, nephew, Milan Hedstrom of Vienna, Austria, niece, Amelia Hedstrom of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and many cousins-in-law. In 2006, Bob established the Frost Open Access Fund at the University of Michigan, School of Information by donating copyright royalties from the estate of his great-grandfather, the poet, to support open access to scholarly and artistic works. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Frost Open Access Fund or to the Team Frost Relay for Life via the American Cancer Society at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/teamfrost

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