SIUSLAW NEWS | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2019 | 3A
On The Record
OBITUARIES
WOERNER—Robert
Bruce Woerner “Cadil-
lac Bob” 74, peacefully
passed away Aug. 22,
2019, following a short,
valiant battle with pan-
creatic
c a n c e r,
with his
loving
w i f e ,
Karen,
by
his
side.
Robert
B o b
Woerner
was born
Oct. 5,
1944, in
Los Angeles, Calif., the
son of Robert C. and
Betty Woerner.
At age 20, Bob was
drafted into the United
States Army. He received
training at Fort Gordon,
Ga., before being sent
to Vietnam for a tour of
duty. After his military
service, Bob worked 30
years as a mechanic for
Torrance City, Calif.
During his working
years, Bob became very
involved in competi-
tive motorcycle racing,
long-distance endurance
wave-runner races, and
softball; Bob liked to go
fast and be first!
Bob’s passion for auto-
mobiles began with the
restoration of his 1949
Cadillac, thus the nick-
name “Cadillac Bob.”
He was very involved in
numerous car shows in
California and Oregon.
Bob moved to Flor-
ence, Ore., in 2004.
Shortly thereafter, he
moved his mother, Betty,
and step-father, Russell
Downs, to Florence to
help care for them.
In Florence, Bob
quickly became in-
volved with the VFW,
VFW Honor Guard,
DAV, Band of Brothers,
Military Museum, Vet-
eran’s Memorial Wall,
and Wings and Wheels.
Bob truly felt the men in
these organizations were
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his brothers.
Bob represented the
VFW at the Siuslaw
Viking home football
games, providing the
opening flag ceremony.
This is only one exam-
ple of the countless acts
of community service he
provided.
Bob was a faithful
member of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Lat-
ter-Day Saints and was
actively involved in com-
passionate service.
He was always seen
with a smile on his face
as he willingly served
and will long be remem-
bered for his kindness to
his fellow man. Bob met
the love of his life, Karen
Holmes, in July 2014.
They were married
Nov. 8, 2014, and on that
day Bob finally had the
family he always wanted:
Six children and their
spouses, 26 grandchil-
dren and 7 great-grand-
children, all of whom he
loved dearly and they
loved him.
Although Bob and
Karen’s time together
was much too short, it
was filled with immense
love and happiness.
Bob is survived by
his sweetheart, Karen;
his parents, Betty and
Russell Downs; his six
step-children:
Mike
(Lisa) Holmes, Kelli
(Ken) Bradbury, Bri-
an (Tammy) Holmes,
Kristi (Greg) Wilkey,
Steve (Tami) Holmes,
Kami (Andy) Baber; 26
grandchildren; and sev-
en great-grandchildren
(with two more on the
way).
He was preceded in
death by his father, Rob-
ert; his brother Larry;
and his son Shon.
Funeral services for
Bob will be held Satur-
day, Aug. 31, at 1 p.m.,
at The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day
Saints, 2705 Munsel
Lake Rd. in Florence.
Military honors to
follow at Pacific Sun-
set Cemetery. Inter-
ment will be at Willard
City Cemetery, Willard,
Utah.
A special thank you
to the wonderful staff at
Peace Health ICU who
treated Bob with great
dignity and respect.
B u r n s’s R i v e r s i d e
Chapel Florence Funeral
Home was in charge of
arrangements.
GRIST—Colin Frank
Grist, 87, of Florence,
passed away Aug. 14,
2019.
Colin was born on
April 16, 1932, in En-
gland to Nancy (Beadel)
and Guy Grist. In 1936
he moved with his moth-
er to Vancouver B.C.,
Canada.
T h e y
traveled
on
a
ship, the
Pacific
Pres-
ident,
Colin Grist through
the Pan-
ama Canal.
His
mother
had
planned to join her un-
cle, who had a fruit
ranch in the B.C. interi-
or. However, the uncle
had gone bankrupt and
returned to England.
Colin and his mother
moved to a small cot-
tage in West Vancou-
ver, which subsequently
burned down.
Colin’s mother built a
house in West Bay and
later met, and married,
his step-father, David
Ricardo. They had two
daughters, Valerie and
Sheila Ricardo, who sur-
vive him.
In 1950, Colin joined
the Royal Canadian Air
Force and served until
1958 as an aircrew radio
officer. In that capacity,
he visited many parts of
the world, including the
Arctic, Far East, Europe
and Australia.
As a civilian, Colin
was employed by finan-
cial companies in Cana-
da and California. After
a long career in banking,
he spent the last 10 years
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
AUGUST 28
AUGUST 29
of his working life in
Santa Rosa, Calif., with
an investment company.
In 1974, he married
Karylyn Von Moren and
they had one son, Greg-
ory, both of whom pre-
ceded him in death.
In retirement, Col-
in lived in Ashland and
Florence, Ore. He was
employed for a short
time for the Ashland Po-
lice Department and was
active in Kiwanis both in
Ashland and Florence.
He is survived by his
granddaughter, Tonya;
and his great-grandson,
Landon, of Alaska.
Burns’s
Riverside
Chapel Florence Funeral
Home and Pacific Sunset
Cemetery are in charge
of arrangements.
A private burial was
held at Colin’s request.
MCMULLEN—Geor-
gia Fithian McMullen,
77, formerly of Florence,
lost her fight with Lewy
Body Dementia on Aug.
17, 2019, at home with
family and friends at her
bedside.
Georgia was born April
11, 1942, in Grants Pass,
Ore., to Tom and Leona
Fithian. She Moved to
Florence
in late
1940 and
graduat-
ed from
S i u s l aw
H i g h
School,
Georgia
where
McMullen she was
crowned
Rhododendron Queen
in 1960.
Georgia worked at
many jobs through the
years but the one she
enjoyed the most was
as a freelance personal
trainer while living in
Eugene, Ore.
Her most loved hob-
bies were attending to
her many orchids that
she won fair ribbons for.
Her Dachshunds, which
she had five of during
her life, were her con-
stant companions and
love. She also had a great
passion for Corvettes,
which she had until her
death.
Georgia was a sweet
and kind person who al-
ways thought about oth-
ers before herself. She
was dearly loved by per-
sons who knew her.
She will be missed by
her loving husband and
family; they will miss
her smile, wit and loving
care.
Georgia married Earl
McMullen of Florence in
1984 and, at the time of
her death, they lived in
North Las Vegas, Nev.
Georgia is survived
by her husband, Earl,
of Nevada; son Derrick
Lee; daughter Angela
Anderson; brother Dick
Fithian, of Florence;
step-daughter
Kelly
McMullen of Portland;
sister Carol-Lee Fithian
of Springfield, Ore.; six
grandchildren and two
great-grandchildren.
Please join us on Sat-
urday, Oct. 26, at the
Florence Elks lodge,
beginning at noon, as
friends and family of
Georgia will celebrate
her life.
LARSON—Todd W.
Larson of Florence left
us on Aug. 24, 2019, with
his wife and parents at
his side.
Todd was born in Bel-
levue, Wash., and raised
in Red-
mond,
Wash. In
1980, he
moved to
Portland,
O r e . ,
where he
would
Todd
Larson
meet and
marry
the love of his life, Kim.
They moved to Flor-
ence in 2013.
Todd and Kim enjoyed
camping and fishing.
He is survived by his
wife, Kim; his parents
Len and Maxine Larson
of Florence; a sister, two
neices; a great-neice; and
a great-nephew of Puyal-
lup, Wash.
At Todd’s request,
there will be no services.
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