Robert S Hutchinson

Robert S. Hutchinson

Pastor Bob was the seventh born son in a family which would grow to eight boys and five girls. He was raised in Brush Prairie, WA. Bob gave his heart to the Lord when he was around eight or nine years old. All his life he never changed his mind about being a Born-Again Christian.

At an early age he decided he would be a minister. His family teased him about this. They said he wanted to do it, so he would not have to work so hard physically. Being raised on a dairy farm is hard work. Four-thirty was the beginning of the day. Cows would be milked before breakfast. Barns and milking tools would be cleaned and milk would be strained two or three times. After breakfast Bob and his brothers and sisters would walk the mile and a half to the grade school near Lane’s Corner and the Baptist Church in Brush Prairie. After school, the morning chores would become the afternoon and evening chores. Wood needed to be chopped for the cook stove and the furnace. Summer and Fall would be the hay and corn harvests. In late October the ten acres of potatoes would be harvested. Apples, pears, and prunes would be picked and canned.

In the late fifties the family left the farm and moved to Skyline Blvd in NW Portland. Here the younger kids attended the Skyline Free Methodist Church. Later, Bob and Lois pastured that same church for 10 yrs.

After 5 years on Skyline the family bought Wacoma Court Cottages in what is now part of Lincoln City. Since Bob had just graduated from Beaverton H.S., he got a job working for a logging company near the town of Siletz, OR.

He married Carolyn Cummings in 1953 and they moved to Seattle so Bob could attend Northwest Univ. majoring in Theology. During the 5 years at NWU, he traveled the NW as a children’s evangelist. He led several hundred to the Lord during those days. His great love for children continued even to the days at First Assembly and Godsong. He graduated in 1958 with a BA degree in Biblical Studies. They moved to Eureka, MT where he pastored for the Assemblies of God Church. Daughter Dawn was born while there. In 1961 they moved to Salem and he was a staff pastor for Salem First A of G for 3 years. While there he enrolled in OCE in Monmouth where he received a BS in Education. In 1963 they moved to Glendale, OR to pastor Glendale AofG and where son Randall was born. 1968 took them to North Howell Community Church in the Willamette Valley and in 1972 they moved to Nyssa, OR to pastor the UMC. Bob and Carolyn were divorced in 1976 and a year later Bob and Randall moved to Beaverton, OR where he ran an office cleaning business. Bob was not pastoring at the time, so trained to be a Crisis Counselor for the Washington County Sherriff’s Office.

In 1978 Bob met Lois at Lutheran Family Service where she was working as a receptionist and where Bob was in training. They joined their two families later which included Lois’s two boys, Steve and Scott, and Bob’s son, Randall. Bob’s daughter Dawn was married and living in E. OR. When there was no funding left for this position, Bob began a painting business with Richard Archibald. The boys helped when they could. In 1988, the position of pastor at the Skyline FMC became available and Bob, Lois and Scott moved into the parsonage after a huge remodel which took two years. Randall was in the Marines at this time and Steve was in college. These were good times with new and old friends. Many souls came to the Lord. In the first few years there, Bob continued as a substitute teacher and was an advocate for children. He also studied and passed the Nursing Home Administer test and thus another career began. The church grew during these years and many updates were made to the old bldg with proceeds from the Bare Root Tree Sale. While they were there the church celebrated it’s 100 Anniversary. A big celebration was held with everyone bringing a rock to surround a memorial plaque that was made. A local wood carver made a 10 foot likeness of one of the first pastors of the church in honor of the circuit riding preachers that first came to the area. A flag pole was also erected to honor the members of the military from the area.

In 1997 Bob and Lois moved to Newberg. Bob continued teaching school and Lois joined the staff of George Fox University. They first became active in the Newberg First Assembly church and the 5 years later they joined other families in worship which eventually became Godson Community Church.

Bob always liked to write and during his retirement his writings became books. First published was “The Hutchinson Story” about his growing up years. Then “Incident in the Desert” about a miracle. The stories he wrote for children over the years were made into book form as well.

During his entire lifetime Bob never missed an opportunity share the love of the Lord with others. Whether it was while painting, cleaning offices, students in school or residents in a nursing home. It could be while dining in a restaurant, on vacation, in the grocery store or in a waiting room somewhere. Asking others if they know the Lord was always foremost on his mind.

Bob went to be with his Lord and Savior on January 13, 2011, at the age of 78. He is now enjoying a reunion with those gone before him. Let us rejoice and be glad. His wish for each of you will receive the wonderful saving grace of God.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to GodSong Community Church Youth Program. - 1025 Industrial Park Way, Newberg, Oregon, 97132.

Arrangements under the direction of Skyline Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, Portland, OR. (503) 292-6611