Dr. Randolph 'Randy' Rovelstad

Dr. Randolph "Randy" Rovelstad, 95, of Rochester, died peacefully Dec. 11 in the Supportive Care Center at Charter House with his wife Joanna "Jo" at his side.

Randy is survived by his wife of 70 years and their five adopted children, Mark, 64, Laurie, 61, Kristi Endres, 58 (John), Paul, 55, and Steven, 52 (Michelle); two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Randy graduated from high school in Elgin, Ill., and earned a bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College in Northfield in 1940. He received his medical degree from Northwestern University in 1944, was a resident in internal medicine at Mayo Graduate School of Medicine from 1946-1951, and received a PH.D. in internal medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1950. In 1973, he achieved the rank of associate professor of medicine at the Mayo Medical School.

Randy served in the U.S. Army from 1946-1948, where he attained the rank of Captain, and with Jo joining him for a year spent in the Army of Occupation in Bayreuth, Germany. After his service, he returned to Mayo, where he completed his residency in 1951.

For those who knew him, his family, friends and colleagues were always amazed at his knowledge of everything from electrical wiring, car repair, machinery, and boating on the Mississippi and the open ocean. He was also a talented photographer who developed his own photographs in his darkroom and also the annual family Christmas cards.

A service to celebrate his life will be announced at a later date.