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Obituary for Robert Lon "Bob" Edwards
Robert Lon “Bob” Edwards Feb. 23, 1927-Feb. 13, 2011 Robert Lon “Bob” Edwards, 83, of Brookings, passed away peacefully Feb. 13, 2011, at his home. Bob was born Feb. 23, 1927, in New York to Lon and Esther (Storm) Edwards. The family traveled west as jobs could be found for his father, who was a lithograph artist. The family eventually settled in Minneapolis, home to Bob for many years. The call of World War II beckoned, and Bob joined the Merchant Marines at the tender age of 16, sailing through South America and Europe on the Aiken Victory and the Thomas MacDonough. He later enlisted in the U.S. Army where he served in Batangas Islands Phillipines as a T/5 in the Army Signal Corps. He was honorably discharged in 1948, and returned home to attend art school at the Walker School of Art. An extraordinarily talented artist, inventor and creator, Bob began his art career with Lester Display Company as its designer from 1952 to 1955. He then worked for WCCO-TV in Minneapolis, setting up its first art department and serving as its art director through 1968. He joined Countryman- Klang Film Productions as art director and producer. After creating his own freelance art business, he created point of purchase materials and shows for the WT Grant Company. Bob left Minneapolis for Denver, Colo., in 1975, where he took on the job of Assistant Director for the Colorado Motion Picture/Television Commission, promoting the State of Colorado to film producers and directors alike, in the hopes that they would bring their productions to the state. His love of local politics found him as the Director of Clear Creek County Planning Commission in Colorado for eight years. He retired in 1988 and he and his wife, Paula, moved to Taos, N.M. There he used his creative talents designing show banners for art galleries, contest banners and posters for various businesses. After moving to Brookings in 2000, Bob became involved in the Disabled American Veterans and began his journey of assisting other veterans receive the benefits due them. He was passionate about bettering the lives of all veterans he met and became a certified veterans service officer in order to assist them with their goals. He was the Commander of the S.R. Pyne Post 20 of Disabled American Veterans for several years. A man of many interests, he raced his Porsche Speedster with the Sports Car Club of America in Minneapolis. While in Colorado, he earned his private pilot’s license. Nothing pleased him more than climbing into his Ercoupe airplane and taking off into the wild blue. His other interests were many, but the biggest qualities Bob will be remembered for will be his love for life, his terrific sense of humor, positive attitude, willingness to help anyone who needed it and his loyalty to friends and family. Bob is survived by Paula, his wife of 32 years; son Mark (Cheryl) Edwards; daughter Robyn (John) Rose; grandchildren April, Kristin and Eric Edwards; brothers Gerald (Virginia) Edwards, Thomas Edwards; and sister, Judith Arms. A private celebration of Bob’s life will be in Brookings. A later celebration will be in June, in Evergreen, Colo. . Memorial contributions may be made to the Friends of Home Health and Hospice, P.O. Box 382, Gold Beach, OR 97444 or the Disabled American Veterans SR Pyne Post 20. P.O. Box 4011, Brookings, OR 97415.
