Plymouth, MN - Roxanne Abbas passed away on April 18, embraced by the love of her family and the legacy of a life lived with purpose, curiosity, and compassion. She is deeply missed by her devoted husband Bob, and her cherished sons Darren and Jason, who look forward to reuniting with her in due time. Her beloved grandsons, Reeve and Drake, have many adventures ahead of them—memories of joyful times with their grandmother will continue to inspire and guide them.

Roxanne was known for her insatiable curiosity, a quality she considered one of her greatest strengths. A lifelong learner and avid reader, her love of books was nurtured during frequent childhood visits to the public library in Winona with her mother. There she literally read every single book in the children's section. She went on to earn a B.S. in Math Education and later a Master's degree from the University of Minnesota.

Professionally, Roxanne spent much of her career designing and administering compensation systems for corporations. Her life took a transformative turn during the early 2000s, when she felt a deep moral calling to oppose the U.S. invasion of Iraq. With Bob's support, she left her corporate role to commit herself fully to peace advocacy. Her work began with local organizations and eventually led her to co-found the Minnesota Peace Project - a group dedicated to engaging with congressional representatives to promote a more peaceful U.S. foreign policy. With Roxanne's leadership the group made numerous contributions that lead to a more peaceful world. She proposed the initial draft of an anti-torture act, which gained bipartisan support and was ultimately signed into law by President Obama. They collaborated with Senator Franken on legislation that banned cluster bombs. Additionally, the group's efforts encouraging diplomacy helped prevent the United States from going to war with Iran.

A woman of deep faith, Roxanne along with Bob found spiritual grounding and community in the Presbyterian Church. She especially treasured her experiences at Clearwater Forest in northern Minnesota and Ghost Ranch in New Mexico—two places of retreat and renewal. She and Bob shared a love of travel and nature, returning annually to Madeline Island for fall getaways and enjoying winter escapes especially those to California, Arizona, and Costa Rica.

Roxanne is also survived by her brother Randy (Sharon) Sweazey and her extended family. She was preceded in death by her sister Sue Larson and her parents.

A celebration of life will be held Sunday, June 1 from 2-4 PM at the American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave, Minneapolis. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations preferred to Clearwater Forest Camp & Retreat Center.