August 11, 1934 – December 1, 2014
Robert (Bob) Herbert Waibel, 80, of Sweet Home, Oregon died Dec. 1, 2014.
Bob was born August 11, 1934 to Evelyn (Ennis) and Herbert Waibel in Scotts Mills, and later moved to Brownsville, where he attended and graduated from school.
On September 18, 1957 Bob was drafted into the Army and was stationed in France and Germany where he was a cook. After leaving the Army with an honorable discharge on June 17, 1959, he continued to serve in the reserves, rising to the rank of major.
Bob married Estelle Ramona Hyer in June of 1961 and remained in Sweet Home, raising their two children. Over the years the Waibels were adventurous and loved to travel, including traveling abroad seeing over 40 countries.
Bob started out working in the logging industry with his father Herbert and then later Waibel Logging and Weyerhaeuser Co. as a timber faller.
After retiring from the logging industry, Bob’s passion for logging continued as he became involved in and participated in logging shows both locally and abroad to other countries such as Australia, Canada and Spain on the U.S. team. He competed in ax throwing, horizontal/standing block chop, crosscut, choker setting, hot saw, and tree climbing where he won hundreds of ribbons, first place trophies and loved competing in the Albany Timber Carnival. The highlight of his performing was working at the World’s fair in 1967 in Montreal, Canada. On the logging circuit Bob liked to be known as the “Rhinestone Logger.”
Bob was always involved in doing something or leading the way. He participated in the Rock and Mineral shows for 50 years and served as club president, as well as in Jaycees, Presidents Club, Elks Lodge member, Squarenaders dance club and helping with the reconstruction of Weddle Bridge, located at Sankey Park. He served on the board of directors for Brownville Museum, Northwest Logging Sports board member, Pioneer Picnic Logging Show, Sportsman Holiday logging shows, Oregon Jamboree volunteer, Tree Commission, and Planning Committee. Bob also was named Jr. First Citizen, First Citizen and received the Distinguished Service award at the annual Sweet Home Chamber Banquet. He was also a member of the Sweet Home, Evangelical church.
Bob enjoyed hunting, fishing, oil painting, rock hounding, raising dahlias, garage sales and being a collector of everything. In his early years Bob also loved participating in rodeos.
Bob was preceded in death by his mother, father and two brothers, Albert (Bud) and James Waibel. Survivors are his wife Mona, daughter Dawn and husband Bob Dalton of Sweet Home, Oregon, son Rob Waibel and wife Shannon of West Linn, four grandchildren, one great-grandchild, brother Joe Waibel of Prineville, and sister Barbara Ann of Arizona.
Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling the funeral arrangements. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. for immediate family members at the Gilliland Cemetery, followed by a celebration of life at the Evangelical Church located at 1347 Long Street, Sweet Home, at 11:00 a.m.