Robert E. (Bob) Lundy, 85
Robert Ellis (Bob) Lundy, 85, of Kalispell, Mont. passed away June 20, 2010 from complications arising from a courageous and sustained battle with cancer. Bob was hatched February 8, 1925 in Huston #2, near Caldwell, Idaho to Clark Braden & Lida Fern Kington Lundy. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Glen Lundy, sister Helen Bates and step-daughter Christine Bruce Merrick. He is survived by his wife, Joan Corinne Bruce Lundy, his siblings Betty Evans of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Joseph Lundy of Post Falls, Idaho and Doris Evans of Boise, Idaho, six children, Jack and C.J. Lundy, Bob A. and Dee Lundy, Becky West, Craig Lundy, Gayle and Dave Stark, all of Kalispell and Renee Yarbrough of Brentwood, Tenn., three step-children, Kathi and Bob Lamm of Caldwell, Idaho, Peggy Engel of Great Falls, Mont. and Greg and Lynn Bruce of Woodburn, Oreg., 14 grandchildren, Adam Blount, Leslie, Rebecca, Charles, John and Joseph Yarbrough, Greg Lamm, Alissa & Kyle Engel, Jonathan, Kristine, Jessica (Bruce) Arce and David Bruce and Amber Crowell, eight great-grandchildren, Kenzie and Myla Engel, Logan and Olivia Arce, Shaun and Troy Hadley and Jake and Kaitlyn Lee and a passel of nieces and nephews.
Born the son of an Idaho farmer, Bob learned well the lessons of Creator, faith and earth and found his most peaceful and pleasant moments while perched atop the vibrating, rattling and noisy seat of a tractor, plowing a field. Bob’s faith in the Creator and understanding of His Creation gave him a deep love of freedom and the beauty of the world around him.
Bob served his country in the U.S. Army from January, 1945 to November, 1946 where he earned a Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal with one bronze star and an Army of Occupation Medal (Japan). Upon his return he married Lois Huffman and together farmed the land in Madras, Oreg. In 1959 they moved to Kalispell, Mont. where he made his living working in the woods. He loved working with the things created by his Father and during his times off, he began “whittling” wood, turning pieces of wood into small keepsakes cherished by his friends and family. He and Lois divorced and in the early 70’s.
At the encouragement of artist Ace Powell and woodcarver Les Welliver, Bob came out of the woods and began his full-time carving career. In August of 1973 he married Joan Bruce of Caldwell, Idaho and blended their two families into one. He earned his living by breathing life and character into hard, inanimate pieces of wood, creating beauty and art. When complimented, he would brush it off, simply stating, “The face was already in there. I just removed everything that didn’t look like him.”
In the late 90’s he began making wood furniture and cultivating a love of writing, exploring and examining his beloved Montana as he wrote. He has published
Fabil Dohn
,
Kale MacOda
,
Eagle Beak
,
Montana Marshall
,
Tyler Bain
,
Two Jay
,
The Man from Kalispell
,
Carving the Historic Western Face
and
Relief Carving with Bob Lundy
.
Bob had a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ that carried him through life and ultimately, through death. He had a wonderful wit and caused many a friend or family member to groan at his “corn-y” jokes. More than once he would look at one of his children when we were doing something “childish” and exclaim, “Oh, for cryin’ in the sink!” He was a great lover of golf, pinochle, dominoes, his friends and especially his family.
His legacy of faith and love of God’s creation will carry on long in the lives of those he touched.