Robert E. LeProwse, 90
During the early hours of Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016, Robert “Bob” LeProwse “took his final golf swing” at the Montana Veteran’s Home in Columbia Falls, his residence since December 2015.
He was born in Butte on July 5, 1926, to Oliver A. LeProwse and Sophie (Maier) LeProwse. He was the middle child in this family with William and Tom. His mother passed away when Bob was 11. A year later, his father married Helen Taylor. They had five more children, Ruth, Albert, Jim, Beverly and Margaret.
Bob graduated from Butte High School in 1944. He enlisted in the Navy V12 Program, stationed at Carroll College in Helena. Sixteen months later, World War II ended and he was honorably discharged as a seaman second class on July 11, 1946.
During that time, he attended the University of Montana (called Montana State University then) studying forestry. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry degree, he went to work for the Forest Service in Grangeville, Idaho. It was there that he met and later married Norma Nitz. He was drafted into the Army and reported for active duty in October 1950.
In 1951 while home on a week’s leave before being sent to Korea, he and Norma were married in Butte. Bob trained as a radio operator. He served eight months in Korea with the 2nd Signal Corps. He was assigned to a radio truck in a Korean battalion known as the Ivanhoe Security Force. After Korea, he was sent to Japan to teach radio techniques to Japanese soldiers. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 9, 1952, at the rank of sergeant.
After he and Norma were married, Bob adopted her son, Steven. Together they had three children, Linda, Con and Rita. In 1955, he went to work for the Anaconda Company in Missoula as a regional forester. He was frequently the fire “boss” and fought many wildfires throughout his career.
He continued working for the Anaconda Company until it was sold to U.S. Plywood in 1972. He worked for them as a regional forester and later as the personnel and safety director, over 11 Western states. This position afforded him the opportunity to travel presenting testimony to both the U.S. and the Montana state legislatures on behalf of the forestry and logging industry. U.S. Plywood later changed their name to Champion International Paper Co. and he continued working for them until his retirement in July 1991.
He married Lola Mae Roper on Feb. 12, 1983, becoming a stepfather to her five sons, Bob, Bill, Craig, Ken and Art. Since Art was 12 at that time, Bob helped raise him.
Bob was a member of the Society of National Foresters, Toastmasters International, and a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Course. Representing the Champion Company, he served on the Water Resources board for the State of Montana for a number of years. He loved entertaining, telling jokes, singing, and a good glass of wine. An avid outdoorsman, he loved nothing better than to share his interests with his family. Many weekends were spent camping, boating, water skiing, snow skiing, or driving the mountain roads where he worked. His cabin at Flathead Lake was his second home.
After retirement, he continued to stay busy golfing, playing cards, walking Bloomsday, sitting by his campfire and bowling. He and Lola were precinct monitors for many years. They took a cruise to Alaska, spent time in Hawaii, and made annual trips to the bull-o-rama in Great Falls. They began following the Lady Griz basketball team and had season tickets for many years. He began attending reunions of both his Navy and Army units, and proudly walked in both his 50th and 60th UM class commencement reunions. They traveled all over the Northwest following the actions of their kids, grandkids and great-grandkids. Nothing made him prouder than bragging about his successful and educated kids and grandkids. Bob was a pleasant and kind man and he never stopped teaching others how to do things. He always had a smile for you and he readily made friends with everyone he met. He made a positive difference in so many peoples’ lives.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, stepmother Helen, older brother Bill and his wife Lois, sister-in-law Joan, sister Ruth, brother Albert, his first wife Norma and her son Steven, son-in-law Randy Lynn, granddaughter Brooke Barbour, and great-granddaughter Miley LaRae Pallares.
He is survived by his wife of 33 yrs., Lola Mae; daughter-in-law Mary Kathryn, daughter Linda Lynn, son Conrad LeProwse, M.D. (Jenice Mugler), and daughter Rita Barbour (Chris); and his stepsons, Bob (Vicki), Bill (Pat), Craig (Sue), Ken, and Art (Lisa) Roper. His legacy will continue through his 18 grandkids, 18 great-grandkids, and two great-great-grandkids.
He is also survived by his siblings, Tom, Jim (Barb), Beverly, and Margaret Strauss (Jim); along with many nieces and nephews.
A potluck and celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 4, at the University Golf Course Club House in Missoula. Please bring a memory to share and join the family as we lift a glass to a life well lived. Interment will be later in the Lake View Cemetery in Polson where he will be buried next to his son Steven.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to Lubrecht Forest Research Center, c/o The School of Forestry, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812.
He had just celebrated his 90th birthday, making him the oldest known LeProwse on record.
“And by the way, does anyone need a fourth player up there? Play on through, Dad!”