MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis man is being remembered for his personality and character after his tragic murder in the city on Friday.
"Horror will always be there," said Patrick Scully, an artist and choreographer who worked with 66-year-old Robert Skafte. "But ultimately, we want to remember the beauty."
Skafte was beaten to death at the grocery store he worked at on Dec. 7. He was a beloved member of the community, known for his gardening, passion for dance, but most of all, his heart.
"He's been a part of Stevens Square, Loring Heights, Loring Park for decades now," said Jose Herrera the board chair of the Stevens Square Community Organization. "He oversaw the farmers market in Stevens Square for 16 consecutive years, which was a huge achievement."
Herrera spoke with KARE 11 at the Overlook Garden in the neighborhood. Robert helped start the garden and maintained it daily.
Tay Sullivan, the at-large board member for the organization, said it's hard for them to imagine carrying on without Robert.
"He tried to get people involved to make the neighborhood not just livable, but beautiful," said Sullivan. "It's really gut-wrenching. Super hard to understand, you just can't really make sense of something like this."
The dance community is trying to wrap its head around the same thing.
"I'm grateful for the richness of those memories, to be able to work with a dancer as talented as Robert," said Scully.
Patrick Scully choreographed numbers Robert performed in at the Walker Art Center. Kevin Kortan danced beside him.
"You grew close when you dance together," said Kortan. "There's always a kinship. He is such a light."
Robert was an acclaimed dancer. According to the Westside School of Ballet, he trained there in the early 1980s. He went on to dance professionally with Kansas City Ballet from 1984 to 1994. There, he was joined by fellow dancer Denise Tate.
"He was always so happy and positive and fun," said Tate. "We always used to go to this Greek restaurant. We always had their coffee. The server would read your fortunes in the grounds left behind in your coffee. I remember how excited we would always get about that. It's just so sad that it ended in such a terrible way. But if anybody can put it behind them, see the hope and love and just move forward, it's Robert."
Myron Johnson said he struggles with the same thing as Tate: understanding why this happened. But he agrees with Tate that Skafte would have forgiven. Johnson first met Robert when he joined his dance company Ballet of the Dolls.
"He made my life better," said Johnson. "He was part of my family, and I knew I was part of his family. He was passionate about gardening, about art, about friendship. We need people like Robert in the world."
Skafte was originally from California but performed with Ballet of Dolls for 18 years.
He had worked at the Oak Grove Grocery for nearly two decades before his passing.
One person has been taken into custody for the attack.
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