WORK
US Forest Service
Vietnam
Pilot
Ventura County Fire

FAMILY
Penny
Mariah
 

RETIREMENT
College Classes
Library
Outdoors
Survivors

ABOUT BOB

Robert Arvin Sjolund was born on Sep. 2, 1941 in Van Nuys, CA, to Clarence Ralphael and Grethel Lydia (Shiffer) Sjolund. His early years were spent in Alhambra, CA. He was a happy young boy, getting into mischief like all young boys do. He was a Cub Scout and earned many pins and badges.

Bob’s mother passed away when Bob was nine years old. Bob always said he didn’t remember her, but Grandma Shiffer thought it was because he loved her so much he didn’t want to share his memories with anyone.

Clarence married Glory Thomas and the family soon moved to a ranch in Lancaster, CA, were they raised alfalfa and chickens.

The family was introduced to the church by Blaine Wells and were baptized in April 1955, although they were not very active.

WORK

When Bob was sixteen years old he was hired by the US Forest Service as a summer worker. While Bob was attending Antelope Valley Union High School he was a member of FFA where he learned to judge meat. He graduated from high school in 1959, and went on to attend Antelope Valley College studying animal husbandry.

In 1961 Bob went to work full-time for the US Forest Service. He was transferred from Valyermo to Ojai where he worked as a trail crew member clearing trails in the back country of the county.

His fire career was interrupted Feb 1964 when he was drafted unto the US Army. During his basic training in Louisiana he contracted spinal meningitis. After a six-week recuperation he was transferred to Fort Hood, Texas, serving as a reconnaissance tank operator. It was at Ft. Hood that Bob and Penny met. They started dating in Dec. 1964.

Bob narrowly escaped being sent to Vietnam. Instead he was made a trainer of GI’s preparing for duty in Vietnam.

Bob’s father passed away in Sep. 1965 at the age of 54. It broke Bob’s heart. He loved his father dearly. After a month’s leave from the Army, he returned to Texas to fulfill his obligation. He received an honorable discharge in Feb. 1966.

He spent the month of March 1966 in Minden, Nevada studying for his flight instructor’s license. Bob loved flying and acquired many additions to his private pilots license including commercial, seaplane, multi-engine, and helicopter. He had worked in his spare time building a small airplane, which did not reach completion.

Bob returned to the Forest Service in April 1966, working again as a trial crew foreman.

Penny moved to California and they married Nov. 9, 1966. They rented a private plane and flew to Las Vegas, Bob was the pilot and Penny was the navigator.

Bob was transferred to the Upper Ojai patrol unit as a Fire Prevention Technician. He patrolled the area between Ojai and Fillmore.

Bob soon decided it was time for a change. He applied to the Ventura County Fire Department and was hired. He began his training Jan. 29, 1969 under the command of Chief Carl Friddle. Bob would come home exhausted, sure Friddle would "do him in" before he finished the training. We later discovered Friddle to be a decent human being when away from work.

Bob was assigned to the Summit Station during training, Captain Frank Cooper as task master. After training was completed, Bob transferred to Piru, then Fillmore, and settled into the Summit again with Bob Obstot as his Captain. Bob enjoyed his time at the Summit. But at transfer time he was sent to the old Station 12 in Santa Paula.
 

FAMILY

By this time Bob and Penny had moved to their current home. Life was quiet for the Sjolunds. Penny found that she would not be able to have children. They discussed the possibility of adoption, but Bob wasn’t ready yet.

During the 1970’s, Bob was introduced to the joy of beekeeping by Dave Wilkinson, a friend from his days in the Forest Service. Bob kept his hives in Upper Ojai to pollinate an avocado orchard. He liked working with the bees, even in the heat of the summer. He read and learned much about the little creatures. He was upset when he had to destroy a hive due to disease or invasion by other insects.

July 1979--SURPRISE--“Bob, you’re going to be a father.” On Jan. 31, 1980, Bob’s pride and joy, Mariah, was born. Bob didn’t know what to do when he held Mariah the first time, so he told her the ABC’s and the 1, 2, 3’s. He did that for the first year of her life. That’s probably why she loves to read and do math.

Bob was promoted to engineer and after a few transfers he was assigned to the Fillmore Station. It gave him great pride to maintain engine 27. He enjoyed his work and the men and women with whom he worked.

Bob and Penny were sealed for time and eternity in the Los Angeles Temple on Feb. 18, 1986.
 

RETIREMENT

Bob retired Mar. 21, 1998. He was sad to leave the crews he worked with, but knew it was time to go.

Bob didn’t go idle. He was able to begin taking college classes to expand his knowledge of computer operated lathes and milling machines. Penny says he became a bit grumpy when college was on break. He soon also had a job driving for Black Gold Cooperative Library Service and Ventura Co. Library Services Agency as a relief driver a few days a month. He enjoyed being a volunteer handyman for Blanchard/Santa Paula District Library where Penny works.

Bob enjoyed the beauty of God’s earth. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, and pilot. He received great pleasure in being of service to others. He tried to be kind to all people, and didn’t like people to be treated badly.

He loved his family and expressed his love often, both verbally and by his actions.

Bob is survived by his wife Penny; daughter Mariah; sisters Margaret Barncord and husband Bill; Glory Jean Wells and husband Blaine; nieces Amanda Doerr, Serena Greene, Geneva Newton, Lydia Barncord, and Rulona Hughes; nephews Sam Barncord and Jeff Wells; uncle Harold Shiffer and cousins, Carol Moore, Jan Severn, and Sandy Garnett.

(Penny Sjolund wrote the above eulogy. Amanda Doerr, creator of this webpage would like to add that her uncle also was a beekeeper.   The owner of this website is Bob's daughter Mariah Sjolund.)

Please leave us with your memories of Bob in the guestbook.

Read my Dreambook! Sign my Dreambook!

Back to Mariah's site.

Created 1-3-2001