Conrad Røyksund (born Conrad Simonson), 86, of Tuscan, Ariz., died Feb. 1, 2018.

            Røyksund was born Dec. 5, 1931, near Graham, Wash. The oldest of seven children, he slept with his brothers in a chicken coop from primary school through high school. Røyksund was the first member of his family to attend college, paying his way by fishing with his father in Alaska. After graduating from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, he served Christ the King Lutheran Church in Fremont, Calif., for over a decade. He eventually earned a PhD from the University of Chicago and taught management information systems at Luther from 1969 to 1998.

            Røyksund was a philosopher, poet, fisherman, cook, and carpenter. A lover of words and ideas, he wrote thousands of poems and kept a blog at smokesound.blogspot.com. As a carpenter, he built a log house in Sattre in Winneshiek County, Iowa; a two-story sun house (Sol Huset) on the back of his home in Decorah; two boats, including the 26-foot cabin boat Second Mate (named after his second mate, Mari Heltne ’68); and many pieces of furniture.

Røyksund and his ex-wife, Margaret Simonson, had four children: Paul Simonson; Kathryn (Steve) Nichols (Ian and Colin); Gail (Marty) Weis (Spencer Weis ’21 and Sophie); Heidi Simonson (partner Jack and children Nicole, Dylan, and Kaia). Røyksund and Mari Heltne ’68 were married at the Sattre log house in 1982, adding Mari’s sons Michael Hubbard (son Jao), and Daniel (Ellie Chen) Hubbard (Elliot and Laura). Røyksund and Heltne adopted Marcia (Miller) McIntyre ’91 in 1991 (Walter, children Makaila and Dominick).