Robert Wolfe

Monday, September 17, 2012

Robert Wolfe passed away on Sept. 14, 2012, after fighting with lung cancer for several months.

He was truly loved and will be missed greatly by all that knew him.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey. Inurnment with military honors will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.

Robert was born in Boise, on June 8, 1929. His father was Vincent M. Wolfe. He was raised by his mother and stepfather, Karl Woodall. In fact, Bob went by the name of Bob Woodall through high school, but was required to take his legal name when he went into the U.S. Army.

Bob graduated from Mountain Home High School in 1948. Karl Woodall was working at Anderson Dam construction and Bob used to ride the school bus from the construction site to elementary and high school in Mountain Home.

Bob served in the Army during the Korean War. He was proud of being a Korean War Veteran.

Bob met and married Ethel Hostetler in Boise in 1953. Sons Kelly G. and Mark H. were born in Boise.

When Bob took a job with Utah Oil Company, the family moved to Burley. Daughter Cindy was born in Burley. He drove oil tankers out of Burley for about 12 years.

He was then offered the bulk plant in Mountain Home and bought the business in 1968 from Frank and Lucile Pearce.

His customers in Bruneau, Grand View as well as Mountain Home became his friends. The business became known as Mountain Home Oil when Bob and Ethel built the building on Main Street by the oil tanks. For many years, he was bulk distributor for Amoco Oil, retiring in 1993. Mountain Home Oil also owned seven convenience stores in Boise and Mountain Home. The business was sold to Brico, an Idaho distributor.

Bob was active in the El Korah Shrine for several years and was President of the local club one year. He was also a member of the Elks Lodge. He gave up membership in these clubs when he began spending the winters in Yuma, Ariz.

Bob and Ethel traveled extensively and spent winter in Yuma beginning in 1990, when they bought a condo apartment.

Bob's favorite trips were to Belize (an archeological dig sponsored by Elderhostel), to Ireland to visit "distant cousins," and the trip to South America that included Machu Pichu, Peru.

His retirement was spent traveling and enjoying golf, the men's group at the Yuma Club, and many rounds in recent years with Larry and Carolyn in Mountain Home.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 59 years, Ethel; his children, Cindy Wolfe of Salt Lake City, son Mark and his wife, Kim Wolfe, of Meridian; grandchildren Stephanie A., Kelli A., Neil R. Wolfe, and Rojelio Torres; Lindsey, Dustin and Randi Wolfe; Camille Petersen Alexander and Nick Petersen, and one brother, Ernest Woodall.

He was preceded in death by his son, Kelly, and his brothers, Richard Wolfe and Jon Woodall.