Robert L Hambleton Sr. (Bob)

Bob Hambleton died on January 17th, 2025, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Twin Falls, Idaho – 70 years to the day after enlisting in the U.S. Navy.

Bob was born on October 16th, 1936, in Triumph Mine, Idaho – a small mining community near Hailey Idaho. Bob’s parents, DP (Dee) and Laura Belle were living in the area so Dee could work in the mine. At that time, Bob had an older brother, Jim. Bob’s younger sister Shirley was born in 1939 after the family moved to Hailey.

Bob’s early years included living in Utah where his family farmed and ranched. Bob’s father was killed in a plane crash herding horses in 1947 near their home of Roosevelt, Utah after which the family moved to Jerome, Idaho. Initially they lived on acreage near Jerome where the family had a dairy cow operation and where Bob was often quoted by his family as saying “Gosh, I sure love milking cows.” Bob graduated from Jerome High School in 1954 and enlisted in the Navy on January 17th, 1955, along with his brother-in-law Farrell Harwood. Bob has some great stories from those Navy days – including flying missions out of Barrow, Alaska to monitor US air space near the Russian border and guiding a nuclear submarine under the North Pole.

Bob was married to Marita Delk in 1957, and they had four children – Rob, Shari, Howie and Dan. After Rob and Shari were born, Bob moved the family to California to manage a lumber yard and during that time, Howie was born in Tulare, California. When that lumber yard burned down, Bob moved the family back to Idaho where he worked initially as a salesman for Volco, Inc. Bob built a home for the family in Heyburn, Idaho which they moved in to in 1965. Shortly after that their fourth child – Dan was born.

Over the next several years Bob would move up the ranks of Volco, eventually managing the store in Burley. In the late 70s, Bob left the company to start his own construction venture, Woodstone Inc., which he owned and ran until the early 2000s. About that same time – the early 80s, Bob married Betty Vlahos, and they were together for almost 45 years until Bob’s passing. Bob and Betty worked together building Woodstone Inc. – combining Betty’s Land Title & Escrow experience with Bob’s construction background – a perfect match. They loved having friends over, hosting family reunions and traveling to Hawaii, Mexico and other fun places.

Bob was an incredible hunter – and made hunting excursions to Canada, Alaska and Kenya over the years. Bob was such a good shot that he was known far and wide as “One Shot Bob” –usually it just took one shot to bring his quarry down.

Bob loved his family and often serenaded them with his unique versions of two songs – “Remember Me I’m the One Who Loves You” and “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” Whether it was a family reunion in Ennis, Montana, a rafting trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River or in the backyard at his place in Burley – those songs were sung with love and fervor. In parting, I’m sure Bob was singing his popular refrain in his heart to everyone – “Remember me, I’m the one who loves you.”

Bob was incredibly fun and had a heart of gold – often helping those in need without telling anyone. He also had lots of stories. So many stories.

Bob is survived by his wife Betty, kids Rob, Shari, Howie, Dan and Robyn, sister Shirley, sister-in-law Virginia, and many nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren.