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Obituary
Dad Loved
Fishing, Outdoors
Robert ‘Bob’ Leighton
Robert R. Leighton
Oct. 14, 1928 –
June 17, 2023
Robert R. Leighton died peace-
fully at home in Nehalem, Satur-
day, June 17, 2023, surrounded by
his loving wife and family.
Bob was 94 years old.He was
born Oct. 14, 1928, in Oakland,
Calif. to Frank E. and Eleanor
(Harris, nee Schneider) Leighton
and moved to Oregon at an early
age. He graduated from Benson
High School in Portland where
he lettered in football and earned
all-team honors. He proudly uti-
lized the trade skills he acquired at
Benson his entire life, completing
every kind ofhousehold project,
major remodelsand other work,
and then providing the same help
to his family and others.
He was an enthusiastic out-
doorsman who explored virtually
every corner of the state byfishing,
camping and hiking. His extensive
fishing experiences made him fa-
miliar to all the good fishing hole-
salongthe Nehalem, Trask and
Wilson Rivers and other coastal
streams. He built his own dory
boat in 1966 to fish Tillamook Bay
and the ocean waters off Barview.
In recent years, he operated a shut-
tle ride service for Nehalem drift
boat fishermen.
Bob was employed as a la-
borer at Union Carbide in Port-
land for 33 years, representing
United Steelworkers Local
4103, where he served as a
long-standing member ofthe-
contract negotiating team and
as treasurer.
An early retirement gave
Bob,with his wife, Mary (Berg),
many loving years together to re-
side in their cabin nestled against
Oregon State Forest and the Ne-
halem River, where they both pur-
sued fishing, hiking vacations, and
other interests and hobbies in the
company of family and friends.
His love for family was es-
peciallyexpressed in the way
he celebrated and encouraged
the accomplishments of all his
children,grandchildren
and
great-grandchildren, regularly at-
tending their school and sporting
events andhelping out in any way
he could.
Bob is survived by his wife of
71 years, Mary;5 children, Laurie
McInnis (Mike) of Willamina, Jim
Leighton (Linda Hamilton), Mike
Leighton (Michael Grimmett)
and Cathy Rossetto (Steve),all of
Portland, and Steve Leighton of
Garibaldi;5 grandchildren, Randi
Schmidt, Sam and David Moore,
and Teresa and Matt Rossetto;3
great-grandchildren, Chloe, Ben
and Brook; and several loving step
grandchildren, nieces and neph-
ews, and many friends.
He was preceded in death by
his brother, Edward Leighton and
sister, Virginia Froembling.
A mass will be celebrated,
Friday, June 23 at 11 a.m. at
St. Mary’s by the Sea Catholic
Church in Rockaway Beach, 275
S. PacificSt.; withburial to fol-
low at 3:30 p.m. at Mt. Calvary
Cemetery in Portland, 333 S.W.
Skyline Blvd.