Pastor John Robert “Bob” Paulson was born May 19, 1939, in Atascadero, California, the first of four children born to John and Margaret Paulson.
He was baptized July 2, 1939, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Paso Robles, California, and confirmed his faith on May 24, 1953, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Tracy, California. As a youth, Bob was involved in Walther League and 4-H. He was a delegate to the National 4-H Club Congress and held the record sugar content for sugar beets in San Joaquin County. After graduation from Tracy Joint Union High School in 1957, he attended Concordia College in Oakland, California, as a Pre-Seminary student for one year. His boyhood dream of becoming an agricultural missionary to Africa (a mission position unheard of in the Synod at the time) went on hold when he transferred to the University of California Davis in 1958, receiving his B.S. Degree in Agricultural Production in 1962.
He was honored to be chosen to attend President Dwight Eisenhower’s White House Conference on Children & Youth. He also served as Student Body President at U.C. Davis, meeting President John F. Kennedy at U.C. Charter Day. It was at U.C. Davis that Bob met Kathy Ann Barr. On July 7, 1962, he and Kathy were married at Faith Lutheran Church in Sonoma, California, (Kathy’s hometown). The Lord blessed Bob and Kathy with two children, Eilene Marie and Brent Eric. Bob received his commission in the U.S. Army (after four years in the ROTC Program at U.C. Davis) and served two years of active duty at Fort Lee, Virginia, and Fort Ord, California, followed by six years of Army Reserve duty.
Bob and Kathy returned to Tracy in 1964, where Bob farmed with his parents until his enrollment at Concordia Seminary in 1982 at the age of 42. It was his participation in California’s Agricultural Leadership Training Program (1978-1980), and the 35-day international trip it provided (Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Botswana), that the Lord used to “rekindle” Bob’s desire for full-time church work. Bob entered Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1982 and served his vicarage at Calvary Lutheran Church in Rosemont, Nebraska. He graduated from Concordia Seminary in May of 1986, at the age of 46, with a Master of Divinity Degree. He was ordained into the Holy Ministry at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Tracy, California on June 22, 1986. He received his call into the Holy Ministry through the saints at Christ Lutheran Church in Yuma, Arizona. He has served God’s people at Our Faith Lutheran Church in Davis, California, St. Peter Lutheran Church in North Bend, Christ Lutheran Church in St. Paul and Hope Lutheran Church in Aurora, Colorado.
Following his “semi-retirement” in 2004, he served briefly as Visitation Pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Utica and on July 1, 2005, he began his service as Pastor for Visitation and Pastoral Care at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward. Bob passed away April 14, 2022, in Lincoln, at the age of 82 years, 10 months and 26 days.
Mourning yet rejoicing in Bob’s new life in Christ are his wife, Kathy Paulson of Seward; children, Eilene (Rob) Burden of Chula Vista, California, and Brent (Dee) Paulson of Lakewood, Colorado; grandchildren, Robby (Shelby) Burden, Matthew Burden, Amanda Burden; soon-to-be great-grandson, Drew Ryan Burden; sisters, Elaine (Rev. Ted) Zimmerman of Napa, California, and Ruth (John) Lane of Santa Barbara, California; brother, Richard (Sandy) Paulson of Lodi, California; nieces and nephews. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, John and Margaret Paulson; parents-in-law, LeRoy “Doc” and Marie Barr.
A gathering of family and friends will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 24, at Volzke Funeral Home in Seward. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, April 25, at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward with a private inurnment at the Seward Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to Alaska Missions for Christ or the St. John Organ Fund. Condolences may be left for the family online at www.volzkefuneralhome.com.
