Robert Kenneth Wilson

Robert Kenneth "Bob" Wilson

Bob passed away peacefully at Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, Oregon on his 80th birthday due to complications from a cancer treatment drug.

Bob was born in Bellingham, Washington and grew up in the Skokomish Valley where he was a natural leader and known to engage in his share of mischievous antics. He graduated from Irene S. Reed High School in Shelton where he met and later married Carol Ann Kelly. While attending Longview Junior College, he and Carol welcomed their first child, a daughter, Cindy. Bob completed his studies at the University of Washington and received a degree in business. Following graduation, Bob moved the family to Olympia to work for the Department of Natural Resources and their son Mark was born. A few years later, Bob found his professional calling in the timber industry when he accepted a position with Simpson Timber and moved to Arcata, California, where his youngest son, Kory was born.

Bob moved his family to Portland when he was offered a position in human resources at Evans Products. In 1969, Bob accepted his career job as head of human resources at Roseburg Lumber, moving his family for a final time to Roseburg. Bob established deep roots in the Umpqua Valley when he bought a homestead farm in Melrose where he lived up to his passing. In Melrose, Bob kept busy with dairy and beef cattle, raising German Shepherds, caring for horses, hauling feed and fixing fences. He was a familiar presence at Roseburg sporting events for his sons and horse shows with his daughter. Bob refereed high school football games for more than 25 years.

Bob retired from Roseburg Lumber in 1997 and began helping Carol with her career in horse racing. As president of the Oregon Thoroughbred Association, he was a regular at many Northwest racetracks contributing his skills as owner, training assistant and stable hand. After Carol passed in 2003, Bob turned his attention to golf, playing two to three times a week with a special group of duffers. He reconnected with a Shelton school classmate, Pat Kelly Stone and married her in the summer of 2005. He became father and grandfather figure to Pat's four children and their families.

Bob is survived by Pat, as well as his three children, Cindy, husband Rick Prime and children Connor and Kendall; son Mark, wife Cathy and children Morgan and Beth and grandson Cash; and son Kory, wife Valerie and children Tyler and Jessie.

His extended family includes four stepchildren, Gretchen Ganty (Hal Harpold), Kate Stone (Jordan Alexander), Susan Daniels (JD), and Rick Stone (Lisa), as well as 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 1 pm Tuesday, October 25 at Wilson's Chapel of the Roses in Roseburg.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Fred Hutchinson Center for Cancer Research at the University of Washington, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Umpqua Valley, Wildlife Safari or the Mason County Historical Society or the charity of your choice.

In addition to Carol, Bob is preceded in death by his parents, Oswald and Vera Wilson, as well as a brother, Kyron.