Robert LeRoy Stockwell was born December 17, 1933 to Basil DeWitt and Elizabeth LaVerle Leonhart Stockwell in Oelwein, Iowa. Bob's parents moved from Iowa to southern California when he was just a baby. Bob met and then married Delores Jean Sacksteder in San Bernardino, California on May 6, 1951. They were sealed in the St. George Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on September 17, 1954. They are the parents of Steven Alan Stockwell (deceased), Robert Daniel (Rhonda) Stockwell of Oregon, LaFonda Jean (Tim) Merrick of Idaho, Linda Denise (Sterling) Thornley of Michigan, Lisa Dian Elliott of New Mexico, and Jonathan LeRoy Stockwell of Idaho. There are 21 grandchildren and soon to be 37 great grandchildren. Bob's work life started at age 11-12 digging ditches and running errands for his father who was an Electrical Contractor. From this small beginning he earned his Journeyman Electrical License, estimating, material procurement, and General superintendent for both Morrison-Knudsen International in Boise and Perini International in Framingham, Massachusetts. Bob's construction work took him to Indonesia; Saudi Arabia; Israel; Columbia, SA; Morocco; Venezuela' SA; Haiti; Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean; and The Azore Islands. He can honestly say that he never had to seek work. People who knew of him called and asked him to work on their projects. His overseas work lasted 20 years, until his retirement in 1997. In 1999 Bob and Jean served a Family History Mission at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were served for 18 months, then extended for another year. After taking a short break, the Mission Headquarters phoned with a request that the Stockwells, and other previously trained missionaries, return to help with Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. They signed up for another 18 months, extended for another year and thus served as Family History Missionaries for a total of 5 years. This experience gave them the basis for reading Gothic German and Latin to enable them to research their own German ancestors. After their Salt Lake experience, they worked in the Nampa Family History Center for about 10 years. Their love of family history work gave them many hours of quality time spent finding their family back to the 1600's. The Stockwell's have been blessed with excellent good health for most of their lives. It became their turn to learn how to cope with illnesses in the last 10 months. Unfortunately, Bob's health took a turn for the worse and he was in several rehab facilities during that time. In the last 2 weeks he was visited by many of his children and grandchildren. He was surrounded by those who loved him. Robert L. Stockwell started a new chapter in his next life on September 19, 2021 in Nampa, Idaho. He was predeceased by his parents; brother Gerald (Delila) Stockwell; sisters Betty Lou Stockwell and Bonnie Jean (James) Butler; and his son Steven Alan Stockwell. He is survived by his wife of 70 years and 5 of their children.
Add comment