Robert (Bob) Allen from Garibaldi Oregon passed away on Christmas day 2023. Bob grew up in Dilley, then moved to Texas, then Bob went into the Air Force. Then from the Air Force, he moved to Oregon with his wife Donna where he stayed until he passed away.
He was a wonderful man. Bob was a very active man. He served on the Garibaldi fire department for years. He was very active in the community. He was a very dedicated member of the wave steppers square dancing. Bob loved cutting firewood which he did up until his death. Bob also liked hunting and fishing. He also did master gardeners, and was a member of the Elks in Tillamook Oregon. Bob also served in the Air Force. Bob, also for years, did gold panning and had gold mining claims throughout Oregon. He was a member of the beekeeping association, which he was a very dedicated member and mentored a lot of beekeepers, and did the beekeeping booth at the fair every year. Bob attended Rockaway community church for years going every Sunday and very dedicated to the church. Bob loved his family very much. His family meant a lot to him.
Bob is proceeded in death by his wife of 45 years Donna Allen, his daughter Laura Lane, his mother, father, and his sister.
Bob is survived by his grandchildren Cheri Gonzalez of Tillamook, Jenny Kent and husband Troy of Banks, Oregon, Tari Motsinger, of Tillamook, Grandson in law Omar Gonzalez of Tillamook, grandson in law, Bobby Thompson of Tillamook, grandson in law Joe Motsinger of Garibaldi, friend Carolyn Hindman of Tillamook and son-in-law Terry Lane Bay City Oregon. Bob also has numerous great grandkids and great great grandkids that he loved very very much.
Any contributions can be made to Rockaway community church on behalf of Bob Allen.
A service will be at a later date.
Robert Allen: Tillamook Loses a Pioneer in Beekeeping
Tribute to Bob Allen from the Tillamook Beekeepers Association
On Christmas Day 2023, Robert Allen of Garibaldi passed away. On that day, Tillamook lost a friend.
Circa 1975, the Tillamook Bay Community College offered a class in beekeeping basics taught by Thom Trusewicz, a long-time beekeeper from Astoria. Four local beekeepers were among the attendees desiring to know more about the science of beekeeping. At that class, Bob Allen, Alan Leach, Ken Ray, and Carl Hansard were inspired to establish a beekeeping club here in Tillamook. During their first year, they became involved with the Oregon State Beekeepers Association (OSBA) and in late 1976, they became Oregon’s 7th Affiliated bee club and called themselves the Tillamook Beekeepers Association (TBA).
They held their first meeting at the People’s Utilities District (PUD) offices on Pacific Ave on February 21st, 1977. Within the first few years they grew to 12 members collectively keeping 125 colonies of bees. In an OSBA newsletter from 1982 it was reported that in 1980 they yielded 5,250 lbs. of honey, an average of 42 lbs. of honey per hive, and in 1981 7,250 lbs., an average of 58 lbs. per hive. One of Bob’s hives yielded 179 lbs. that year.
Starting in 1976, Bob supported TBA’s first 3 president’s Ken Ray (1976-1980), Rex Wheeler (1981-1984), and Doug Taylor (1985-1990) in every conceivable way. Bob then served as the President of the TBA for 25 years beginning in 1991 until he was replaced by Claire Moody at the November 2016 annual TBA meeting. Bob also served as the OSBA North Coast Representative and member of the OSBA board for 20 years from 1985 until 2005.
Over the years, Bob has mentored hundreds of beekeepers and served the Tillamook beekeeping community with passion. Every person that knew Bob would say the same thing, he was a quiet, unassuming, and helpful beekeeper.
At his peak, Bob had upwards of 200 hives and planned to become a commercial beekeeper until the Varroa Destructor mite migrated to Oregon and the advent of Colony Collapse Disorder mid 1990 made things just too hard for him to break in to an incredibly challenging business.
Bob remained a strong beekeeper until his death and was in attendance at every meeting and event possible including the December 2023 Christmas party.
Others have said that without Bob, the Tillamook Beekeepers Association would not exist today.
We will miss you, Bob.
