Bob, 89, died February 9, 2016, in Grants Pass, Oregon. He was born April 26, 1926 in Ely, Nevada. Bob served in the 82nd Airborne during WWII and was discharged in 1946. He rookied at Cave Junction in 1947 and jumped there through 1950. When told that he had to quit doing parachute jumps at fairs and other events, he quit smokejumping.

Some friends suggested that he buy a truck and start logging, a career that would last for 40 years. Bob won the National Parachute Jumping contest in 1951 in Detroit, Michigan, and was one of the first jumpers to create a "bat-wing" allowing him more maneuverability.