Robert Vincent Scow passed away Saturday November 1, 2014, spending the last week of his life surrounded by loved ones. He will be remembered as a helpful friend, hardworking father, kind grandfather, and faithful husband.
If you needed your house re-wired, your sink plumbed or your toaster fixed Bob Scow was usually willing to help. He encouraged self-sufficiency in his children and reached out tenderly to his grandchildren. He was a steadfast husband of 62 years.
Bob was born in Helena on February 12, 1931 to Roy and Inez Scow. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Edgar, Myron, Russell, and Gordon, also his wife, Beverly and daughter-in-law-, Evie.
Bob graduated in 1949 from Helena High School. He married Beverly Liedle in Boulder, MT in 1950. For several years he worked in a neighborhood grocery and as a “call boy” on the Northern Pacific Railroad plus serving in the National Guard all the while going to night school, eventually earning his surveyors license. Years later he retired from the Montana Highway Department. Then he continued to operate his own surveying business for many years. He built both of his homes from the ground up plus helped to build the Plymouth Congregational Church where he and Bev were loyal members for many years. Bob also was a long time member of the Masonic Lodge # 5.
Robert was hard working but he had a fun side, too. As a young Dad he took his 3 children Jim, Caren, and Jeff sledding and camping. There was also stock car racing, chokecherry picking, gold mining and the horse races.
Bob, along with his wife, Bev, enjoyed traveling. At first it was long car rides with the kids packed into the backseat, later in retirement, it was airplane trips to Arizona as snowbirds.
His other hobbies included card playing and both he and Bev were ice hockey fans when the Ice Pirates played for Helena. Bob was an avid collector of barbwire, slot machines, coins, and friends.
He was a cherished uncle to several nieces and nephews and served as Best Man at his nephew’s wedding.
Bob was always on the go, always busy building or fixing something or going somewhere. In his later years he tried his best to keep moving forward even as a cancer survivor and Parkinson’s fighter. We like to think of him now as Heaven’s handy man.
Bob is survived by his 2 sons, James (Caryn) and Jeffery Scow of Helena and his daughter Caren (John) Fisher of Renton, Washington. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Amy Rogers, Erica Renney, Johnathan Fisher, Justin Fisher, Joseph Fisher, Alisa Scow, Kaloni Scow, Kiana Scow, and 8 great grandchildren. Survivors also include by 1 brother, Orval Scow of Helena, 3 sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews, in laws, and friends who loved him.
Memorial services for Robert Scow will be held on Tuesday, November 11, 2014, at 3:30 PM at The Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ located at 400 South Oakes, Helena, MT. Gifts in Bob’s memory may be given to The Wounded Warrior Project at PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675. Please visit below to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Bob.
Janet Atchison says
Jeff, I am so sorry for your loss. You have gone through this for the past year and a half. Prayers are with you.
Jay Ramlo says
Jim, Caren, Jeff, I’m sorry for your loss. I have many fond memories of your parents, the way they welcomed me to Helena in 1970. You all were so welcoming to this new resident to town. Bob was a good friend at work, both at the Highway Dept. and while surveying. I havemore good memories than a person should be allowed to have. I like to think I’m a better person in part because of the Scow family. Thank You All
Dennis McCall says
Just met Robert about a year ago. He was always thinking of different things to do.
Loved his “piling system instead of a filing system”. He will be missed.
Carrolle Rushford & Ed Corcoran says
Ed & I will miss cousin Bob and offer our sincere sympathy to the Scow family. Our many visits with Bob & Bev both in Helena and Arizona have given us cherished memories of their wonderful spirit and kind hearts. Bob relentlessly and mockingly beat the socks off us when we played cribbage and we will miss those get-togethers. We send out love.
DeeDee Liedle Shultz says
My condolences to all of the Scow family and friends. Bob and Bev came to all of our monthly “cousins lunch” dates (1995-2012) at Last Chance Casino and also the annual Liedle reunions which I hosted (1998-2004). Those were the days — happy times, great conversations, playing Keno (at Last Chance), eating, laughing, singing (at reunions), and enjoying every minute. Bob was a fun-loving guy with a big heart and he’ll be missed by all of “us cousins.” I will cherish the reunion photos and videos and the happy memories of Bob and Bev.
Jack Smith says
Rest in Peace Bob. Bev is happy because you are back with her. You were such a great couple. If I told Bob, “I know you are older than me”, he would give me that Jack Benny stare. It was so funny. So many times several of us would sit around that famous kitchen table laughing, telling stories and sometimes a beer or two. Bob surveyed some land for me several times. He was very good at his discipline. I was also in the 3669 th National Guard with him. As a young teenager, I really admired that kid (Bob) with the great motorized Whizzer bike. He was a hard worker and sold papers on the street like I did. Later, he married my cousin Bev. Condolences to the family. Bob was special!
Jack Smith
Curt Verwolf says
My deepest condolences to the Scow family. My family grew up just up the street and I was good friends with Jeff and I remember all of the wonderful things Bob did. I specifically remember the time of the great “flood” and how dedicated he was to get it cleaned up and “fixed” so it would never happen again.
May he rest in peace and God bless the Scow family.
Curt Verwolf
Rusty O'Leary says
My condolences for your entire family. My dad (Avery “Red” O’Leary) worked for Bob surveying, worked with him at the Highway Dept and was his good friend and poker buddy.