S moke S ignals
MARCH 15, 2018
11
grandfather ’ s footsteps ’
Tribal Elder Steve Bobb Sr. is a Vietnam-era Marine Corps
veteran who enlisted in 1968.
nam. After landing in the country
in January 1970, Bobb immediately
noticed two things: The aroma and
heat.
“There is an odor that hangs over
the country, almost like a garbage
dump,” he says.
He was 20 years old.
Bobb, who was trained to work
with munitions, was instead as-
signed to the infantry, which meant
being directly in the battlefields, or
in the case of Vietnam, swamps.
“You don’t get a cushy job when
you arrive, you have to be in the
crap,” he says.
Due to the danger, soldiers stayed
mostly on secure bases when they
weren’t on duty, which often meant
heavy drinking to ease thoughts of
what was going on around them
and to pass the time.
“I woke up in the sand with mos-
quito bites all over me, passed out,
more than once,” Bobb says. “It
wasn’t good.”
Despite having automatic weap-
ons fired at his head, getting lost
on night patrol in the jungle and
seeing death happening all around
him, Bobb left Vietnam physically
unscathed.
“Either I am extremely lucky or
I was being saved for a higher pur-
pose,” he says. “That is when you
start believing in guardian angels.”
What Bobb saw and heard con-
tinues to affect him even 48 years
later and he has never had guns in
his home.
“I don’t even want to hear the
sound,” he says. “I tried to get
myself as far away from guns and
killing as I could. When you have
seen gruesome things like that, it
leaves a permanent image in your
mind.”
Before leaving the country, he
stopped off at nearby Da Nang Air
Base to visit Leno.
“We visited for just
a few minutes, but it
was great to see him
there, like being at
home,” Bobb says.
Leno agrees.
“Serving in Viet-
nam, when you have
those connections, it Tribal Elder and Marine Corps Vietnam veteran Steve Bobb Sr., left, and fellow Marine Rob
is for life,” Leno says. Martin, from Churchtown, Pa., were paired up in combat situations to watch out for one
“It was great to see another while serving in Vietnam. “Rob was my other half,” Bobb said.
him and know he was
smaller version of the sculpture is
going home.”
are obligated to share it in some
located in the foyer of Bobb’s house.
In addition to their Tribal and
way,” he says.
Connie says that although her
military service connections, Leno’s
In the 1990s, he began sculpting
husband may not always show it,
wife, Liz, and Bobb’s wife, Connie,
and took his first professional class
he cares deeply about people.
also are lifelong friends.
to delve into that medium. When a
“He has a real passion to help
“Our kids grew up together,”
Tribal committee began fundrais-
veterans
and, as he has gotten old-
Leno says. “We never stopped being
ing for the West Valley Veterans
er, he has become a lot more caring
friends.”
Memorial, Bobb was asked by Leno,
about people,” she says.
who was then on Tribal Council, to
An artist for life
be the artist. Bobb also was part of
‘I have been very lucky’
After a short stint as a welder
the ad hoc committee that secured
Bobb says there was a time when
upon his return from Vietnam,
the $360,000 needed to build the
the years seemed to drag on, but
Bobb began pursuing his passion
memorial and did the Trail of Tears
now that he is older, they are fly-
for art on a professional level. In
walk from outside Medford to Grand
ing by.
1972, he opened Bobb Art & De-
Ronde to help raise money in 2002.
When he reflects on his life, he
sign, which specializes in custom
The final Veterans Memorial
says he feels very fortunate.
auto painting. Much of his early
design features a man and woman
“I always think about how lucky
influences come from Allen George,
dressed in traditional Native attire
I have been to do what I love for
the father of current Tribal Council
reaching toward the sky surround-
a living despite dealing with all
Secretary Jon A. George.
ed by four black pillars represent-
of the health issues I have had,”
He also spent several years work-
ing the four branches of the armed
Bobb says.
ing as a truck and sign painter.
forces – Marines, Army, Navy and
Over the years, Bobb has battled
“I just do it for fun now,” Bobb
Air Force.
rheumatoid arthritis and now is
says. “I do a lot of work for schools,
Tribal members Courtney Gal-
blind in his left eye. His immune
charity work and auction items.”
ligher and Mark LaBonte posed in
system stopped functioning for a
His most recent work is the logo
traditional regalia for the statue,
time in the 1990s. He was diag-
for the 25th annual McMinnville
which honors both male and female
nosed with leukemia in 2010 and
Wine and Food Classic, which was
veterans.
has been in remission since 2013.
held recently at the Evergreen
“I designed it so that viewers
“I mean, how many times can you
Space Museum. He also recently
would be looking up,” he says. “I
be so lucky?” Bobb says. “In my older
re-painted the Bulldog logo in the
saw one Native American memori-
age now, I have found out that it is
gym at Willamina High School.
al that was in the ground. I didn’t
not about what you acquire or may
Bobb draws freehand instead of
like that. When you are honoring
not acquire. As long as you have
using a computer, so all revisions
someone, you should look up.”
the love of family and friends, you
are done from scratch.
The bronze sculpture was ded-
shouldn’t sweat the other stuff.”
“I believe if you have a gift, you
icated in May 2003. The original,