Joseph "Joe" Oberton, age 67, died peacefully at his home in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, with his wife at his side, on Sunday, January 11, 2026.

Joseph Vernon Oberton, the ninth child of Dorothy Violet "Vi" (Oberg) and Walter Evan Oberton, was born April 3, 1958.  He attended school in Grand Rapids, MN.  As a young man, Joe worked at the National Foods grocery store in Grand Rapids, and later became the manager at the Hibbing IGA store.  Later, he became a delivery driver for Airborne Express and DHL.  In the fall of 2009, Joe became a school bus driver for District 318, retiring in 2020 after driving bus for 11 years.

On August 6, 1988, Joe was united in marriage to Robin Ann Cramer and celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary in 2025.

Together, Joe and Robin established Krystal Kennels in 1999.  Their passion for Siberian Huskies grew as they enjoyed taking guests on dog sledding adventures in the Grand Rapids area.  Joe entered several dog sled races, and took first place in a 50-mile race near the Canadian border.  Besides training their teams and giving dog sled rides, Joe and Robin enjoyed giving educational presentations at schools, county fairs, and the South Dakota State Fair, especially for the students at Van Dyke Elementary School in Coleraine, MN.  Their program, Dog Sledding During the Fur Trade Era, presented historical information, as well as sparked interest in modern dog sledding activities.

Joe was an active member of Jehovah's Witnesses for 50 years, being baptized on July 5, 1975.  He attended with the Grand Rapids congregation.  His faith was very important to him.  When Joe's health did not permit him to worship in person, he would watch the Zoom meetings from home.

In 2021, a liver disease altered his life.  Although his heart condition did not allow him to receive a liver transplant, Joe and Robin were extremely grateful for the support they received from the Hospital Liaison Committees (HLC) of Jehovah's Witnesses when he was a patient at medical facilities in Duluth, MN, Minneapolis, MN, Los Angeles, CA, and Pittsburgh, PA.

Joe can be remembered as a kind hearted man, and for his love of dancing, hockey, animals, and his never-ending love for his family.  He had an excellent sense of humor, always with a hint of sarcasm.  =)

Joe will be deeply missed by his loving wife, Robin; daughter Veronica Hawkinson; his siblings, Violet "Marie" (George) Winckler, Rodney (Bonnie) Oberton, Charlotte (Vern) Bishop, Floyd  "Ed" (Kelly) Oberton, Daniel (Dianne) Oberton, Sue (Curt) Larson, and Arthur Oberton; sisters-in-law, Donna Oberton and Sue (Richard) Ford; brothers-in-law Dan (Sandy) Cramer and Tim (Kathy) Cramer; many nieces and nephews; and the loving Christian brotherhood who have been so supportive.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Vi Oberton; and his brother Walter "George" Oberton.

Special thanks are extended to Robin's coworkers at the University of Minnesota Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI), the nursing staff at Grand Village Lodge, and the Essentia Hospice staff, for their compassionate care and support.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses at 35279 Foxtail Lane, Cohasset, MN, 55721.  If you would like to attend the service via Zoom, please contact a friend or family member to receive the Zoom link.

Waiting, Watching, Wondering
written by Robin Oberton

Waiting, watching,
Wondering when
We will see you young
And healthy again.

Wishing we had
Jesus' healing touch.
Because we love you
So very much.

We want you well now,
So very fast,
But we must wait
'Til this is all in the past.

Soon you will sleep
For a little while.
Then you'll wake up
And we will all smile!

We'll hug you and laugh
And hear your voice!
What a wonderful time!
Everyone will rejoice!

But in the meantime
We have to wait.
Some things in this old system
We cannot escape.

We learn to be patient.
We learn to endure.
Jehovah keeps us strong.
Of that we can be sure.

When we feel so very tired,
Jehovah gives us strength
To make it through these days
Of endless length.

Brothers and sisters and
Friends so rare
Sending their love
From everywhere!

Eagerly we all await the day
Jehovah's power comes thundering!
All problems will be gone and we will be
No longer waiting, watching, wondering.

(Micah 7:7; John 5:28,29a; John 11:11, 25; Psalm 62:1; Philippians 4:4, 6, 7, 13; Psalm 41:3;
Psalm 55:22; 1 Peter 5:9; Proverbs 17:17; 2 Samuel 22:14; Job 37:5; Revelation 21:3, 4)