"Bob's Story"

Bob is my father-in-law. A man I first met as a kid when he built a camp for his family next door to our family camp on Indian Lake in the Adirondacks. He always took a shine to what those DeVoe boys were doing next door and never said no to our constant requests to borrow something or ask for his help.

Bob was a family man who loved to socialize, cook out on the grill, smoke a pipe and enjoy life to the fullest. He was also a fly fisherman who
liked to tie his own flies, find a piece of God's land somewhere and bond with nature and life.

Truth be told, I don't know if he was a great fisherman, but I know when he put on his waders and toted his rod and creel to a secluded mountain lake, he was in heaven.

Bob was also a school superintendent in northeastern New York. He was known for his dedication and support to the students, families, faculty and school board.

Bob passed away at a relatively young age (64) in 1994 when he was stricken with ALS (Lou Gehrig Disease). He is missed by all his family and friends, but we know he has found an eternal "fishing hole" in God's kingdom and is at peace with the world.

On Saturday, September 27, I will be joining the rest of his family and walking in the ALS Walk as "Bob's Bandits" to help raise funds and awareness towards ALS. If you would like to help support us in this cause, I would greatly appreciate you sponsoring me at any level you can. You can send me a check payable to ALS and direct it to me at Kirkhaven.

When I think of Bob, perhaps my own greatest disappointment is that he passed away before he knew that the last thing this DeVoe boy "asked" of him, was for his daughter's hand in marriage. But then again, I think he knows..............................................