Robert Leroy Doble of Brooks, beloved husband of Margaret Doble, passed away in Brooks on Monday, February 13th, 2023, at the age of 96 years.
Bob was born in Bonners Ferry, Idaho and moved to Rainier in 1928. He was the youngest of eight siblings. He is survived by his wife Margaret and two sons, Randy (Annie) and their children Shaelin and Zack and Shawn (Marlyn) and their children Elyse and Julia.
Bob graduated junior high at Alcoma School in 1942 and started high school in Brooks. He would ride a horse on Sunday night and get to the canal which was halfway and send the horse back and walk the rest of the way. He would go to school and stay in the dorm until Friday and walk back to the farm–a total of 25 miles. He loved school but was forced to drop out to run the farm as his four brothers enlisted in World War II.
Bob ran a dairy for several years but was forced to work outside the farm when he couldn’t afford to upgrade his operation to the new codes. Interest rates were also through the roof.
On the side he would run a vegetable farm growing pumpkins, squash and the best corn ever.
They sold the farm and moved to an acreage on Cassils Road west of Brooks in 1997. Bob was still able to garden and woodwork in the basement. I remember my mom complaining that all my dad did was tinker with wood working and in the garden. He was 85 at the time and I told her she was lucky she did not have to change his diaper.
Bob got right into making game boards out of pvc pipe he would flatten. Sequence on one side and aggravation on the other side. I wished he would have kept track of how many he made.
It was nice having a place at Lake Newell so the kids could spend time with their grandfather.
Bob and Margaret moved to the Newbrook Lodge in 2010. Bob had access to a wood shop and a little plot to garden. He really enjoyed living there. He had a scooter and drove it all over town.
Bob was one of the funniest guys I know and generous to a fault. He will be missed deeply.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, March 11th at 2:00 PM from Smith Memorial Chapel. Rev. Esther Crews officiating. In memory of Robert, if friends desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to Alzheimer’s Society of Alberta, 10430 – 61st Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta T6H 2J3.
