Robert "Bob" Richard Santeramo

Robert “Bob” Richard Santeramo - “The man, the myth, the legend” - the patriarch of our family, passed away peacefully at his home in Eveleth, Minnesota, on March 19, 2025, at the age of 68, in his favorite recliner.

Bob was born on February 19, 1957, in Hibbing, Minnesota, to Carol Jane Holderness and Duane Charles Simons. He was the second oldest of five boys. A rough-and-tumble crew, the Santeramo boys were well known, and anyone who met Bob knew he was as tough as nails. There was nothing he would back down from—sometimes to his own detriment. Fear simply wasn’t in his vocabulary.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Bob joined the U.S. Navy after high school. Though he didn’t talk much about his time in the service, it shaped his strong work ethic, independence, and resilience—qualities that defined him throughout his life.

If you asked Bob what he did for a living, he’d say he was “a jack of all trades, master of none.” And that truly was the best way to describe him. He could fix just about anything and was annoyingly good at everything he tried. An avid golfer, hunter, and fisherman, he felt most at home in the great outdoors.

While Bob held many roles in his life, his favorite was being a grandpa. “Poppa Bob,” as his 15 grandchildren affectionately called him, was always good for a laugh and one of his famous bear hugs.

His children will always cherish memories of trips to the North Shore searching for agates, bonfires and fireworks on the Fourth of July, golf cart rides, fishing trips, and boating on Half Moon Lake.

Bob is survived by his five daughters: Alicia, Raeanne (Eric), Teresa (Jay), Bobbi Jo, and Angel (David); his grandchildren: Breyanna, Sienna, Kellen, Matayah, Emmadean, Caden, Elliyanna, Symphony, Emmanuelah, Agacia, Ayvah, Uriah, Myahh, David, and Ilias; his brothers: William, Dave (Lori), and Vinnie; his half-brother, Mike; his sisters, Heather (Patrick) and Holly; and his stepfather, Pete. He is also survived by Denise Gundy, the mother of his children and his ex-wife; his special friend, Leanne; and longtime family friend, Scott Sapp; as well as his nieces and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father, Duane; his mother, Carol; his stepfather, Larry, his stepfather and namesake; his brother, Ray; and his favorite dog, Hooch.

A Celebration of Life for Bob will be held Saturday, March 29, 2025, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Timbers Edge (7672 Wilson Rd, Eveleth, MN 55734). Military honors will take place at 4:00 p.m.

This obituary was lovingly written by his five daughters, who will miss him more than words can say.

Dad, we love you and are so proud to call you our father. Look down on us from time to time. Rest now in Heaven, where there is no more pain, the fish bite all day, you always shoot under par, and you finally get that 30-point buck. We will take it from here. This is not goodbye—it’s until we meet again.