Bob was always a Can-Do kind of guy. He lived by the spirit of the scripture in Galatians 6:9 “Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.”
Even as a kid he tried to learn everything and do everything as soon as he could. For example, when he was little he discovered the family had gotten a new clock and quickly took it apart to see how it ran.
As a preteen and teenager he had several large newspaper routes, at times two at once, which he faithfully and accurately delivered every day, and, as was the norm in those days, he collected all the payments, keeping his share and turning in the subscribers’ charges to the newspapers. By the time he was 16 he had saved enough money to by himself a brand new motor scooter, which increased his ability to deliver more newspapers.
When he was in high school he even took his date to the New Year’s Eve dance on his motor scooter. He graduated with honors from Provo High school in 1949.
He was just 10 when Pearl Harbor happened, but fervently wished he was old enough to join the military and help protect his country that he loved. But when the United States joined in the Korean conflict he was 20, so volunteered for service in the US Air Force. He spent four years in active duty, keeping the planes’ electronic parts ready for action; two years in Japan, and most of the rest of the time in Spokane, Washington, with an assignment tucked in between in the French Foreign Legion. He also spent an additional year in the Air Force Reserves.
When he returned home to Provo, Utah, he worked summers driving his brother’s truck on construction projects, and the rest of the year doing various part time jobs to supplement the aid he received through the Veteran’s Administration to attend college. He graduated from BYU in 1958, then the University of Utah’s College of Law in 1962 earning his doctorate degree, and become a lawyer in 1963. He soon found a job working with another lawyer, but left after a few years to open his own practice.
In the meantime, he married Delores Sampson. They had one child together, a daughter, Angela. For various reasons, that marriage ended in a divorce after 13 years.
A few years later, on July 1, 1980, he married Carol Jean Gibby Shaw, a divorcee with six still dependent sons, which he loved and looked after as if they were his own.
After they had been married for three years, Carol started working full time for Bob as his assistant and office manager, which she did until he finally closed his law practice in July of 2010. During his career as a lawyer, he served several years as a Judge Pro Tem, and a long time as a member of the Utah State Bar’s Arbitration Committee, in addition to working successfully helping many clients with their various problems. He received a special award for serving as an attorney for more than 50 years.
In addition to his many years of practicing law, he served three stake and/or ward missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a part time mission for the church’s Church History department, along with his wife Carol, and served in other various callings for the church.
He also worked 33+ years as a Scout leader, assisting other Scout leaders to become more effective; helped to start a dance club for adults and kept it going for 12 years; and served on his high school’s reunion committee for 20 years. And he helped plan and execute many family reunions and activities. The couple also took in a friend’s troubled 17 year-old daughter, and helped her graduate from high school, and get her life going in a better direction.
Bob is survived by his wife, Carol; his daughter, Angela (Edward) Vermeer and three grandchildren; his stepsons Richard (Peggy) Shaw, Dale (Lizzy) Shaw, Neil (Julie) Shaw, Troy (Aimee) Shaw, Lance (Elane) Shaw and Lynn (Jennifer) Shaw, 22 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren; his sister, Carolyn Phillips; his brother Donald (Lana) Lord; and 5 nieces and 1 nephew and their children. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Sumner Lord and Maud Evelin Ferrin; his sister Marilyn Lord; his brother-in-law, Jay Phillips; Carol’s parents, Ralph Farnsworth Gibby and Lou Ceil Emma Butler; Carol’s brother, Donald J. Gibby; and his step-grandson, Connor Shaw.
Bob was a much loved and respected leader at home and in many capacities and will be much missed.
