Robert Verlin Axford was born January 2, 1923, in Silverton, OR. Dr. Axford passed away peacefully at home in Kennewick on October 15, 2009 of congestive heart failure at the age of 86. Bob was raised by his mother, Hulda (Venden), a teacher, and his stepfather, John (Jack) Axford, a cannery worker and sheriff's deputy. Bob graduated from Columbia Academy and attended Walla Walla College, working towards a degree in theology. It was his older brother Glenn who encouraged Bob to apply to the same medical school he was attending. Bob was admitted to the last slot available in the summer of 1944 before he had completed even two years of undergraduate work. He graduated in 1949 from the College of Medical Evangelists (now Loma Linda University). Bob married his sweetheart Beatrice Oster on July 29, 1943. Bea supported Bob all the way through medical school on her teacher's salary, so that he graduated debt-free. After interning at the Marine Hospital in Seattle, Bob and Bea moved to the Brewster/Bridgeport area of north-central Washington, where Bob opened his first general medical practice while assisting Drs. Lamberton and Stout with their surgical practice. Two years later, Bob accepted an invitation from the United States Public Health Service to head up the hospital on the Indian Reservation at Fort Belknap, Montana. After two mosquito-filled years in Montana, Bob moved to Prosser, Washington, to assist Dr. Oscar Neumann with his clinic. Bob, Bea and their children called Prosser home for nearly twenty-five years. One of Bob's proudest moments was when he was able to persuade Steve Bradley PA-C, and his wife Eileen to move to Prosser. Together, Bob and Steve provided exceptional medical care to a grateful community. To this day, Lower Yakima Valley residents comment about the caring and compassion these two Christian men exhibited in their personal and professional lives that is very rare in this era of "managed medical care." In 1977, Bob and Bea moved to Kennewick where Bob finished his medical career in the emergency room department of Kennewick General Hospital, retiring due to heart problems in 1985. Bob was a charter member of the Kennewick Seventh-day Adventist Church. He considered the practice of medicine to be an evangelistic endeavor of the highest order. A number of souls were led to Christ through his quiet ministry and humble manner. He held many church offices throughout the years, including head elder, sabbath-school teacher, and while in Prosser, school board chairman of Grandview Adventist Junior Academy. Bob had many interests, including still and 16 mm movie photography, rock-hounding, camping and international travel. However, his primary passion was flying. After obtaining his private pilot's license in the 1950's, Bob owned or co-owned a number of aircraft, including a Piper Tri-Pacer, Cessna 170, Cessna 182, Mooney Mark 20, and both the Debonair and Bonanza models by Beechcraft. He loved to take visitors for airplane rides to show off the Lower Yakima Valley region. He treated his family to frequent flying trips to such diverse destinations as Death Valley, British Columbia, the Oregon Coast, Moose Creek, Idaho, and a quick cross-country jaunt to Florida and Georgia in the Bonanza. He liked to think that the airplane rides he gave the Watts brothers when they were young sparked their interest in aviation. Bob was preceded in death by his younger sister Shirley, his older brother and sister-in-law Glenn and Alta, and his younger brother John. He is survived by his loving wife of sixty-six years, Bea of Kennewick, daughters Melody Schulte and her husband David of Prosser, Carolee Arslanian and her husband, John, of Kennewick, and son David and his wife, Debi, of Yakima, sister-in-law Dee Axford of Vancouver, WA, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Viewing will be held Friday, October 23, 2009 from 3pm to 8pm at Mueller's Tri-Cities Funeral Home, 1401 S. Union in Kennewick. Graveside services will be on Saturday, October 24, at 3:00pm at Desert Lawn Memorial Park on the corner of 10th & Union. A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at the Kennewick Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 7103 W. 10th Ave, Kennewick at 4:00pm the same day. Those wishing to contribute in lieu of flowers may do so through Gospel Outreach, P O Box 8, College Place, WA 99324.