Robert "Bob" Dean Langford

Bob was born on July 18, 1936, in Bismarck, North Dakota, the second of five children of Dale and Julia Langford. He is survived by his children, Jennifer Smith of San Antonio, Texas, Dan Langford of San Francisco, California, Nancy (Tom) Hodnefield of Stillwater, Minnesota and David (Shelly) Langford of St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as his sister, Linda (Skip) Hewitt and brother Bruce (Becky) Langford; 5 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother D. Richard Langford and his sister Judith Langford.

The son of a union railroad engineer and a nurse, Bob was proud of his working class roots and was a lifelong champion of the underdog. As a young high school student in 1953, Bob rose through the ranks of the Boys State program to become the President of Boys Nation and met with President Eisenhower. Bob received a National Merit Scholarship to attend his beloved Rutgers University, where he was a devoted FIJI fraternity member. While completing his JD at the University of North Dakota Law School he fell in love with Annette Jansonius. They married and Bob fulfilled his ROTC commitment as an Air Force Judge Advocate in Sacramento.

He joined and later became a partner in the Winona, Minnesota law firm Streater, Murphy, Langford and Gernander. A talented litigator, he became known for his tort law advocacy, and for helping people from all parts of the community resolve problems. In 1970 he won the Winona Outstanding Young Man of the Year award and received a Bush Foundation Fellowship to continue his legal studies at Harvard University Law School.

Bob was the Winona County Chairman of the DFL Party for many years. In 1975, he personally introduced a then-unknown Jimmy Carter at the annual picnic. As his legal career progressed he became General Counsel for Tennant Company in Minneapolis, and then for Guy F. Atkinson Company in San Francisco. Bob and Annette then moved back to Minneapolis where they lived for almost thirty years. He served as Trustee of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter and in many other civic board positions including at St. Mary's College in Winona, the Minnesota Safety Council, Film in the Cities and the Pacific Lutheran Seminary.

Bob enjoyed playing golf, traveling the world with Annette, singing in the choir at his Lutheran churches and mentoring his grandchildren and other promising people he encountered from all walks of life. To some of his children, he was their greatest inspiration and challenge.

A funeral service will be held at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota in his memory on March 21, 2026, with visitation at 1:00 pm and the service at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to Second Harvest Heartland, Ministry on the Margins, and Twin Cities PBS. See "Donations" below.

The family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to the caring staff of VA Minneapolis Healthcare, Jones Harrison Assisted Living, Health Partners Hospice and St. Anthony Park Home.