State Journal-Register, The (Springfield, IL) - December 18, 2009
Deceased Name: Robert "Bob" Waldmire
2009
ROCHESTER - Robert "Bob" Waldmire, 64, a resident of Route 66, died at his family's home in Rochester, on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
Bob was born April 19, 1945, in St. Louis to Edwin and Virginal Waldmire; they preceded him in death. He grew up in Springfield and Rochester.
He graduated from Rochester High School, attended SCI, SIU Carbondale, and ASU. He began a lifelong career as a traveling artist, drawing collage birds-eye view calendar maps. In the late 80s Bob began focusing his efforts and talents on documenting and preserving Old Route 66 from Chicago to San Bernardino. His meticulous artwork recreates much of the old highway as it used to be and continues to stimulate renewed interest in this national historic landmark.
He is survived by a son, Jim Graham; two grandchildren, Mia and Parker, of Springfield; brothers, Bill (Arlene) and Buz of Rochester, Jeff (Carol) of Jacksonville and Tom of Springfield; sister-in-law, Sue Waldmire of Rochester; and several nieces and nephews.
Additional column by Dave Bakke in StateJournal-Register, The (Springfield, IL) - April 21, 2010
Bob Waldmire takes one last ride
Bill Waldmire was on the phone. "On Sunday afternoon, we're going to take Bobby for a last ride in the van," he said. I knew what that meant. Bob Waldmire's ashes were going to the cemetery.
Before he died in December, Bob left specific instructions about the disposal of his earthly remains. Half was to be buried next to his parents, Ed and Virginia, in Mottarville Cemetery south of Rochester. The other half was to be released along his beloved Route 66 and at his second home "off the grid" in Portal, Ariz.
True to Bob's wishes, some of his ashes have been sent into the ocean off Santa Monica Pier, where Route 66 ends. Some have soared off the Chain O Lakes Bridge near Chicago. Family members will drive to Portal in the Chiricahua Mountains to sprinkle more of Bob's ashes.
But on Sunday, it was time for that last ride in the 1972 Volkswagen bus that was the model for the character Fillmore in the movie "Cars." Bob's friend, Tom Wanko of St. Louis, had gone to Arizona to fetch that van, which Bob drove on Route 66 many times. Tom put it on a trailer and hauled it to the old school bus near Rochester where Bob greeted people as he lay dying late last year. The VW will eventually be put on display in a Route 66 museum.
But it was up and running Sunday. It remains packed with Bob's art, postcards and drawings, pictures of friends, a sleeping bag and the various clutter that defined him, like the sticker on the wall that says "The greatest strength is gentleness."
Before heading to the cemetery, friends and family looked over picture books that showed Bob as a clean-cut teen, the family's original Cozy Dog restaurant and Bob's obituary from The Wall Street Journal, a very un-Bob-like publication. They talked about the new website for the sale of Bob's art (bobwaldmire.com).
Then Bob's brother, Buz, arrived carrying the ashes in a shopping bag with "Happy Holidays" on it.
The VW bus, with Bill Waldmire at the wheel, led the caravan down Chicken Bristle Road and on to the cemetery. Bob's other prized vehicle, his 1965 Ford Mustang on which he drew a map of Route 66, was right behind.
Ed and Virginia's gravestone, which is literally a boulder, is next to another memorial stone. Engraved on that second stone is a quotation from Thomas Paine. It says, "The World Is My Country. To Do Good Is My Religion."
Deceased Name: Robert "Bob" Waldmire
2009
ROCHESTER - Robert "Bob" Waldmire, 64, a resident of Route 66, died at his family's home in Rochester, on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
Bob was born April 19, 1945, in St. Louis to Edwin and Virginal Waldmire; they preceded him in death. He grew up in Springfield and Rochester.
He graduated from Rochester High School, attended SCI, SIU Carbondale, and ASU. He began a lifelong career as a traveling artist, drawing collage birds-eye view calendar maps. In the late 80s Bob began focusing his efforts and talents on documenting and preserving Old Route 66 from Chicago to San Bernardino. His meticulous artwork recreates much of the old highway as it used to be and continues to stimulate renewed interest in this national historic landmark.
He is survived by a son, Jim Graham; two grandchildren, Mia and Parker, of Springfield; brothers, Bill (Arlene) and Buz of Rochester, Jeff (Carol) of Jacksonville and Tom of Springfield; sister-in-law, Sue Waldmire of Rochester; and several nieces and nephews.
Additional column by Dave Bakke in StateJournal-Register, The (Springfield, IL) - April 21, 2010
Bob Waldmire takes one last ride
Bill Waldmire was on the phone. "On Sunday afternoon, we're going to take Bobby for a last ride in the van," he said. I knew what that meant. Bob Waldmire's ashes were going to the cemetery.
Before he died in December, Bob left specific instructions about the disposal of his earthly remains. Half was to be buried next to his parents, Ed and Virginia, in Mottarville Cemetery south of Rochester. The other half was to be released along his beloved Route 66 and at his second home "off the grid" in Portal, Ariz.
True to Bob's wishes, some of his ashes have been sent into the ocean off Santa Monica Pier, where Route 66 ends. Some have soared off the Chain O Lakes Bridge near Chicago. Family members will drive to Portal in the Chiricahua Mountains to sprinkle more of Bob's ashes.
But on Sunday, it was time for that last ride in the 1972 Volkswagen bus that was the model for the character Fillmore in the movie "Cars." Bob's friend, Tom Wanko of St. Louis, had gone to Arizona to fetch that van, which Bob drove on Route 66 many times. Tom put it on a trailer and hauled it to the old school bus near Rochester where Bob greeted people as he lay dying late last year. The VW will eventually be put on display in a Route 66 museum.
But it was up and running Sunday. It remains packed with Bob's art, postcards and drawings, pictures of friends, a sleeping bag and the various clutter that defined him, like the sticker on the wall that says "The greatest strength is gentleness."
Before heading to the cemetery, friends and family looked over picture books that showed Bob as a clean-cut teen, the family's original Cozy Dog restaurant and Bob's obituary from The Wall Street Journal, a very un-Bob-like publication. They talked about the new website for the sale of Bob's art (bobwaldmire.com).
Then Bob's brother, Buz, arrived carrying the ashes in a shopping bag with "Happy Holidays" on it.
The VW bus, with Bill Waldmire at the wheel, led the caravan down Chicken Bristle Road and on to the cemetery. Bob's other prized vehicle, his 1965 Ford Mustang on which he drew a map of Route 66, was right behind.
Ed and Virginia's gravestone, which is literally a boulder, is next to another memorial stone. Engraved on that second stone is a quotation from Thomas Paine. It says, "The World Is My Country. To Do Good Is My Religion."
State Journal-Register, The (Springfield, IL) - December 18, 2009
Deceased Name: Robert "Bob" Waldmire
2009
ROCHESTER - Robert "Bob" Waldmire, 64, a resident of Route 66, died at his family's home in Rochester, on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
Bob was born April 19, 1945, in St. Louis to Edwin and Virginal Waldmire; they preceded him in death. He grew up in Springfield and Rochester.
He graduated from Rochester High School, attended SCI, SIU Carbondale, and ASU. He began a lifelong career as a traveling artist, drawing collage birds-eye view calendar maps. In the late 80s Bob began focusing his efforts and talents on documenting and preserving Old Route 66 from Chicago to San Bernardino. His meticulous artwork recreates much of the old highway as it used to be and continues to stimulate renewed interest in this national historic landmark.
He is survived by a son, Jim Graham; two grandchildren, Mia and Parker, of Springfield; brothers, Bill (Arlene) and Buz of Rochester, Jeff (Carol) of Jacksonville and Tom of Springfield; sister-in-law, Sue Waldmire of Rochester; and several nieces and nephews.
Additional column by Dave Bakke in StateJournal-Register, The (Springfield, IL) - April 21, 2010
Bob Waldmire takes one last ride
Bill Waldmire was on the phone. "On Sunday afternoon, we're going to take Bobby for a last ride in the van," he said. I knew what that meant. Bob Waldmire's ashes were going to the cemetery.
Before he died in December, Bob left specific instructions about the disposal of his earthly remains. Half was to be buried next to his parents, Ed and Virginia, in Mottarville Cemetery south of Rochester. The other half was to be released along his beloved Route 66 and at his second home "off the grid" in Portal, Ariz.
True to Bob's wishes, some of his ashes have been sent into the ocean off Santa Monica Pier, where Route 66 ends. Some have soared off the Chain O Lakes Bridge near Chicago. Family members will drive to Portal in the Chiricahua Mountains to sprinkle more of Bob's ashes.
But on Sunday, it was time for that last ride in the 1972 Volkswagen bus that was the model for the character Fillmore in the movie "Cars." Bob's friend, Tom Wanko of St. Louis, had gone to Arizona to fetch that van, which Bob drove on Route 66 many times. Tom put it on a trailer and hauled it to the old school bus near Rochester where Bob greeted people as he lay dying late last year. The VW will eventually be put on display in a Route 66 museum.
But it was up and running Sunday. It remains packed with Bob's art, postcards and drawings, pictures of friends, a sleeping bag and the various clutter that defined him, like the sticker on the wall that says "The greatest strength is gentleness."
Before heading to the cemetery, friends and family looked over picture books that showed Bob as a clean-cut teen, the family's original Cozy Dog restaurant and Bob's obituary from The Wall Street Journal, a very un-Bob-like publication. They talked about the new website for the sale of Bob's art (bobwaldmire.com).
Then Bob's brother, Buz, arrived carrying the ashes in a shopping bag with "Happy Holidays" on it.
The VW bus, with Bill Waldmire at the wheel, led the caravan down Chicken Bristle Road and on to the cemetery. Bob's other prized vehicle, his 1965 Ford Mustang on which he drew a map of Route 66, was right behind.
Ed and Virginia's gravestone, which is literally a boulder, is next to another memorial stone. Engraved on that second stone is a quotation from Thomas Paine. It says, "The World Is My Country. To Do Good Is My Religion."
Deceased Name: Robert "Bob" Waldmire
2009
ROCHESTER - Robert "Bob" Waldmire, 64, a resident of Route 66, died at his family's home in Rochester, on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
Bob was born April 19, 1945, in St. Louis to Edwin and Virginal Waldmire; they preceded him in death. He grew up in Springfield and Rochester.
He graduated from Rochester High School, attended SCI, SIU Carbondale, and ASU. He began a lifelong career as a traveling artist, drawing collage birds-eye view calendar maps. In the late 80s Bob began focusing his efforts and talents on documenting and preserving Old Route 66 from Chicago to San Bernardino. His meticulous artwork recreates much of the old highway as it used to be and continues to stimulate renewed interest in this national historic landmark.
He is survived by a son, Jim Graham; two grandchildren, Mia and Parker, of Springfield; brothers, Bill (Arlene) and Buz of Rochester, Jeff (Carol) of Jacksonville and Tom of Springfield; sister-in-law, Sue Waldmire of Rochester; and several nieces and nephews.
Additional column by Dave Bakke in StateJournal-Register, The (Springfield, IL) - April 21, 2010
Bob Waldmire takes one last ride
Bill Waldmire was on the phone. "On Sunday afternoon, we're going to take Bobby for a last ride in the van," he said. I knew what that meant. Bob Waldmire's ashes were going to the cemetery.
Before he died in December, Bob left specific instructions about the disposal of his earthly remains. Half was to be buried next to his parents, Ed and Virginia, in Mottarville Cemetery south of Rochester. The other half was to be released along his beloved Route 66 and at his second home "off the grid" in Portal, Ariz.
True to Bob's wishes, some of his ashes have been sent into the ocean off Santa Monica Pier, where Route 66 ends. Some have soared off the Chain O Lakes Bridge near Chicago. Family members will drive to Portal in the Chiricahua Mountains to sprinkle more of Bob's ashes.
But on Sunday, it was time for that last ride in the 1972 Volkswagen bus that was the model for the character Fillmore in the movie "Cars." Bob's friend, Tom Wanko of St. Louis, had gone to Arizona to fetch that van, which Bob drove on Route 66 many times. Tom put it on a trailer and hauled it to the old school bus near Rochester where Bob greeted people as he lay dying late last year. The VW will eventually be put on display in a Route 66 museum.
But it was up and running Sunday. It remains packed with Bob's art, postcards and drawings, pictures of friends, a sleeping bag and the various clutter that defined him, like the sticker on the wall that says "The greatest strength is gentleness."
Before heading to the cemetery, friends and family looked over picture books that showed Bob as a clean-cut teen, the family's original Cozy Dog restaurant and Bob's obituary from The Wall Street Journal, a very un-Bob-like publication. They talked about the new website for the sale of Bob's art (bobwaldmire.com).
Then Bob's brother, Buz, arrived carrying the ashes in a shopping bag with "Happy Holidays" on it.
The VW bus, with Bill Waldmire at the wheel, led the caravan down Chicken Bristle Road and on to the cemetery. Bob's other prized vehicle, his 1965 Ford Mustang on which he drew a map of Route 66, was right behind.
Ed and Virginia's gravestone, which is literally a boulder, is next to another memorial stone. Engraved on that second stone is a quotation from Thomas Paine. It says, "The World Is My Country. To Do Good Is My Religion."
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