Jason Trobec did not seek the spotlight. He did not chase applause, recognition, or the kind of achievement one typically associates with obituaries that run long and resplendent. And yet, in his quiet, consistent way, Trobec etched a legacy that, like the man himself, was deliberate, rooted, and unforgettable to those who knew him.
He passed away peacefully on April 23, 2025, at the age of 56, in his home in Stillwater, Minnesota, surrounded by family, close friends, and a community he helped build—brick by brick, smile by smile.
As the world hurtles forward, often in noise and haste, the life of Jason Trobec invites reflection. This obituary is not merely a record of milestones. It is a portrait of a man who believed that meaning is built slowly—through service, through listening, through returning again and again to the work that needs doing.
Early Life: Quiet Curiosity in the Northwoods
Born on February 17, 1969, in Duluth, Minnesota, Jason Edward Trobec was the youngest of three children in a family that valued craftsmanship, nature, and conversation. His father, Leonard Trobec, was a carpenter with a philosopher’s streak; his mother, Janice (née Peterson), a nurse who moonlighted as a poet.
Childhood summers were spent at a cabin near the Boundary Waters, where Jason learned to portage canoes before he learned to ride a bike. He was bookish—favoring Steinbeck and Bradbury—but also mechanically inclined, dismantling and rebuilding clocks and lawnmowers just to see if he could.
“He was always fixing things,” said his sister, Lila Trobec-Martin. “Not just objects, either. If someone was sad, he’d sit with them. He thought time was the best medicine, and he gave it freely.”
The Educator Who Chose Local Impact Over Prestige
Jason attended Carleton College, majoring in environmental science. But he quickly pivoted to education, driven less by ambition and more by a yearning to be useful. After earning his M.Ed. from the University of Minnesota, he returned to Stillwater and took a job teaching high school earth science.
Over the next 28 years, he would become a fixture at Stillwater High, known for his interactive teaching style, fierce dedication, and a refusal to assign grades based solely on test performance.
“He used to say, ‘Curiosity is worth more than correctness,’” recalled longtime colleague and friend Melissa Harlow. “That mindset changed how kids approached learning.”
His students remember rock-collecting hikes, impromptu meteorology lessons during tornado watches, and his annual “Night Under the Stars” astronomy campout on the school’s football field.
Beyond the Classroom: Conservation and Community Building
Jason Trobec’s love of nature extended far beyond the classroom. He co-founded the Stillwater Land Trust in 2002, a nonprofit that has since protected over 1,200 acres of wetlands and forests in the region. He organized invasive species cleanup events and led community discussions on ecological ethics long before sustainability became a buzzword.
But perhaps his most defining community project was the creation of the Stillwater Makerspace Cooperative, a volunteer-run workshop where students, retirees, and tinkerers could collaborate on everything from robotics to woodworking. Trobec envisioned it as a third place—neither home nor work—where creativity and mentorship thrived.
“He believed in shared spaces where people teach each other,” said Carla Nguyen, a local engineer and mentee. “That place has saved lives. Literally. Mine included.”
The Man Behind the Mission
For all his civic contributions, Jason Trobec was intensely private. He rarely traveled far from home, never joined social media, and avoided anything that felt performative.
He married his college sweetheart, Elena Rivera, a librarian with whom he shared a love of obscure board games and 19th-century cartography. They raised two children, Milo and June, in a house filled with books, garden tools, and home-cooked meals.
Friends describe Jason Trobec as deeply intentional. He made his own bread. He walked to work. He wrote annual letters to each of his kids on their birthdays, encapsulating not just memories but hopes and fears.
“He was always aware that life could change in an instant,” said his wife. “So he didn’t wait to tell people he loved them. He didn’t wait to start living the life he wanted.”
A Health Battle Faced with Characteristic Grace
In 2022, Jason Trobec was diagnosed with glioblastoma—a rare and aggressive brain tumor. For someone whose intellect was such a defining feature, the diagnosis was devastating.
Yet, in keeping with his life philosophy, he faced the illness with curiosity, patience, and honesty. He documented his treatment journey in a private blog shared only with family and friends, describing moments of fear, clarity, and peace with poetic lucidity.
“I’m not fighting this,” he wrote in one entry. “I’m walking with it, hand-in-hand, as far as it will let me go.”
Though his condition deteriorated rapidly, he remained engaged—reading to his grandchildren, planting wildflowers in his yard, and completing a final woodworking project: a bench overlooking the St. Croix River, inscribed with the words: Rest Here. Notice Everything.
A Legacy Rooted in Presence
What, in the end, does a life mean?
In Jason Trobec’s case, it may be best measured not in accolades or accomplishments, but in presence. He showed up. For his students, for his family, for his town. Not just once, but again and again. In the face of busyness and burnout, he chose stillness and service.
His funeral, held at the local Unitarian church, drew over 400 people—former students, colleagues, conservationists, and neighbors. Each person carried a story. A moment. A sentence he’d once said that somehow stayed with them.
One student, now a geologist, shared: “Mr. Trobec told me I could be a scientist before I believed it myself. He changed the trajectory of my life.”
Looking Forward: The Trobec Fellowship and Maker’s Grant
In honor of his life, the Stillwater Land Trust and local school district have partnered to create the Trobec Fellowship for Environmental Education, a program designed to support rural teachers innovating in STEM education.
Additionally, the Makerspace Cooperative announced the Jason Trobec Maker’s Grant, a $5,000 annual award for community-led innovation projects in small towns across Minnesota.
“He would have shrugged at the attention,” said his daughter, June. “But he’d be thrilled about the work continuing.”
What We Talk About When We Talk About Jason Trobec
There are lives that dazzle, and then there are lives that anchor. Jason Trobec’s life was an anchor—an insistence on integrity, a devotion to place, and an ability to connect what others overlooked.
In an era of noise, he practiced attention.
In an age of acceleration, he slowed down.
In a world of fragmentation, he built connection.
This obituary may carry his name, but its weight is felt in the roots he helped others plant—in gardens, in classrooms, in minds that dared to wonder.
Selected Quotes from the Community
“You didn’t leave a conversation with Jason Trobec unchanged. He asked the kind of questions that stayed with you.”
— Reggie Morrison, retired teacher
“He was the first person to believe my invention had value. That changed everything.”
— Talia James, former student and product designer
“He didn’t want applause. But he deserved it. He always did the hard, quiet work.”
— Pastor Jamie Lindholm
“Jason Trobec once told me: ‘Fixing things is just a way of saying I still believe in them.’”
— Sam Rivera, brother-in-law
Final Note from the Family
In lieu of flowers, the Trobec family asks that donations be made to the Stillwater Land Trust or to a local public library of your choice. They also invite those who knew Jason Trobec—or were touched by his story—to write a memory or lesson learned on the website JasonTrobecTribute.org.
For more information, click here.
