April 29, 1930 October 6, 2012
A celebration of life will be held for Robert “Bob” Lehman on Friday, October 12, 2012 in the “Maurices Bistro Room” at Marian Estates in Sublimity, Oregon at 10 am.
Bob was born in Mt. Penn, Pennsylvania on April 29, 1930 to Ruth and Ray Lehman. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Evelyn and Louise, and brother Ronald. He is survived by his brothers Raymond and Richard , both of Kerville, Texas.
Bob leaves behind his wife Hazel of 60 years and sons Michael (wife Deb Larsen), Ross (significant other Amy Nakano), Randy (wife Gloria) and daughter Connie Jones (husband Ed). He is also survived by a very special nephew Terry Smith, who lived with the family after high school and became the official “fifth child”.
Bob passed away in his home in Sublimity, October 6, 2012 in the presence of his wife and family from lung cancer.
Bob graduated from Wyomissing High School in Pennsylvania in 1948. After graduation, like his two older brothers, he enlisted in the Air Force. After basic training he was sent to Portland, Oregon.
In Portland he met Hazel Graham and they were married in the Portland Air Base Chapel on July 12, 1952. Soon after the wedding Bob was shipped to Laon France and Hazel moved to her parents home in Coos Bay, Oregon and a son was born in his absence.
After a brief stint living in Reading, Pennsylvania they returned to Coos Bay where Bob took a job with Weyerhauser Co. in the logging operations as a “whistle punk”. He got the job through his father-in-law, a life time logger, who predicted the “kid from the east coast” would never make it in logging. Thirty five years later Bob retired from Weyerhauser as Dellwood transportation foreman.
Bob will be forever remembered for the relationship he had with his grandchildren. He was at once the loving grandfather, the playful partner, the wise advice giver and most importantly, on occasion, the “stern lecturer”. He is survived by seven grandsons Ryan (Andrea)Jones, Andy (Crystal) Jones, Daniel (Ashley)Jones, Matt, Bradley, Craig and Brett Lehman. They all shared his great sense of humor, argued with him on occasion and shared a rum and coke often.
Later in life he became “grandpa” to eight grandaughters; Ramona, Alexa, and Allyce Lehman; Vanessa Wilson (Dylan), Jennifer Scott,Christa and Kelsey Jackson and Jamie Foster. Bob did not miss a beat and developed a relationship with all of them.
In the last year he welcomed three great-grandchildren, Maggie, Jack and Khloe.
Bob and Hazel traveled extensively after their retirement in a RV as well as taking several cruises. They spent several winters in Parker, Arizona making new friends. Bob was the driving force to start an annual family trip to Sunriver, Oregon on Memorial Day weekend. Even in his declining health he was busy organizing next years trip.
Bob was known for his self taught woodworking skills. He built by himself, with assistance from family and friends, the family home in Coos Bay over a period of eight years, taking great pride in the fact he never had a mortgage on the property. In retirement he took up serious woodworking. In the early years the family story was Bob could make anything out of plywood so be careful what you asked for. Later he became a true craftsman, making jewelry boxes and cabinets out of fine woods. He built each grand son a foot locker and each granddaughter a jewely box. Each had ‘secret compartment’ for which he took great pride in making the grandchild find it. Bob left a wide array of wood products around the family, most with a notation of “gpa” with a date.
A special place for Bob and Hazel was the Sublimity community they became a part of. They sold their home in Coos Bay in 1992 and looked for a new adventure. They picked Sublimity and built a home. They felt welcomed from the start and soon developed a whole new “family”.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers that you make a contribution to the Salem Hospital Foundation; PO Box 14001; Salem, Or 97309 or; www. salemhealth.org/foundation; (503) 561-5576.
Arrangements entrusted to Weddle Funeral Services Stayton, OR.
