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Update on Bob Letterman

I managed to go back and dig up some photos of Bob from my first and second visits.

The Friday after Thanksgiving 2016
Logistics-10.jpg


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The Friday after Thanksgiving 2017 with PaulW
Paul W- Paul S- Bob L Thanksgiving 2017.JPG

There were a couple more visits after this, but they were more to see Bob and Susan and visit than to look through the museum again. Of course the last visit Bob was working on the downstairs museum and it was a bit "in process" The time before that in 2019 we spent a while going over the build up mods and plans for Logistics.
I will truly miss his stories.
 
Susan shared the funeral arrangements.
It is at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery Springfield
5201 South Southwood Rd.
Springfield MO 65804

May 24th at 1:00

If you want to send flowers (and you certainly don’t need to) you send them to Greenlawn North
3506 N National
Springfield MO 65803
Click to expand...
I'm making plans to go.
 
Online obituary
greenlawnfuneralhome.com

William Robert (Bob) Letterman

William Robert (Bob) Letterman, 81, of Springfield, MO passed peacefully away on May 15, 2022. Bob was born to Wm. Robert Letterman Sr. and Joy Nickel Letterman in Springfield, MO. Bob proudly joined the US Army in 1959 and served in France, and was also in the Navy Reserves. Bob was married...
greenlawnfuneralhome.com greenlawnfuneralhome.com
 
I'll share a quote from Bob that he sent me earlier this year, words to live by.

Gotta tell you man, do everything you can now. Retirement is never what you think it will be. The Golden Years, for too many guys I've known have been a joke. We've been retired now for 15 years. It's been good generally speaking but, still, we have always loved to travel and honestly, that is kinda in the rear view mirror now. So glad we did all that when we were young.

Take Care Buddy,

Bob

Bob was always kind enough to offer suggestions or explain techniques, I enjoyed his stories and experiences. He will be missed.
 
This is sad news. My heart goes out to Bob's family. He will be missed by all. He was one of my main inspirations for getting into diorama building although I knew I would never be able to do anything close to what he did on such a massive scale. Rest in Peace, Bob, and know that you had such a positive influence on so many.
 
I finally found this and got caught up. I am so deeply saddened to hear this as Bob has always been one of those guys I never had enough time with. I thank God most heartily that He enabled me to have the chance to meet him in Chattanooga and to spend time with him in his museum and his living room. That is a God given gift that I will always cherish.

Rest in Peace Bob, you are truly a Giant among men.
 
It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I learned of Bobs passing. I met him only once a couple of years back and really enjoyed the visit and dinner a group of us had with him. A true visionary and master craftsmen who will be missed.
 
Well I am geared up and making the trip to Springfield. Have to do my part to send Bob off in style. Whenever I went to visit and we would start visiting it was always so hard to leave. The visits were always several hours and they always seemed to last a few minutes and then I would have to leave so soon.

This will be much different. In some ways I am not looking forward to it, but if I don't go I will always regret not going.

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Then I will detour down to Tulsa and make a firs start on emptying my storage building out. If I am 2/3 of the way there I might as well haul a load back.
 
Bob will be missed by thousands of modelers. A truly great talent has passed into history. His passion was large dioramas. He would always ask me "are you going to turn that into diorama". I think the best way to honor his legacy is to continue to do what he loved to do......Modeling. Make that diorama. Push the limits of your skills. Reach higher and above all keep modeling.
Model on my friends.
 
MrT said:
I think the best way to honor his legacy is to continue to do what he loved to do......Modeling.
Click to expand...
I totally agree, make that diorama you've always wanted to do.
What keeps ringing in my ear is him tell us "Just do it". I think he coined that before that shoe company did.
 
Argggggg,.....................I always hate hearing of the legends in this Sport who have passed beyond the veil. A punch in the chest.

Bob is right, get er done, no time to waste, because life is but a vapor and it ain't gonna get done looking at it.

God speed, Bob, and prayers for his wife and family.
 
I thought I’d post a little something here about my memories of Bob.

I have known Bob and Susan since the mid 1980’s. I was a 2 digit member of the VLS group and got to know Susan from my many Many orders!

Susan is actually the first person to tell me about figure shows and gave me the information to attend my first one in Atlanta, where I met Bob Knee who then gave me painting lessons.

I then got to talk with Susan and Bob after attending the many Master Cons. After my accident Susan helped me with many of my orders and to get my mind right.

I then had the opportunity to move out to Missouri not to far from VLS. It was then that I used to go out and visit, shop some and bring my 2 boys. They were little at the time and used to love to run throughout the warehouse and tour Bob and Susan’s RV. Susan and Bob always took the time to talk with them and have had the opportunity to watch them grow up.

I also had the opportunity to do some work for Bob with sculpting a figure for production and painting many box arts. I also had the opportunity to sculpt an Elvis figure for Bob as a gift for Susan.

There are many other things I could say but in closing I also had the pleasure to have Bob write my preface for my upcoming book. His friendship, influence and kindness will be greatly missed by me.

My heartfelt condolences go to Susan, Gail and their family and all the other people that Bob touched.

God Bless,

Joe
 
I don't know what a Man could say to ease the grief of the all lives Bob touched, even in a small way. Terry's sentiments sum it up succinctly.
We won't be attending Bob's ceremony. I will continue modeling.
I don't know what else to say.
Me. Serial poster.
I'm just sad.
 
Well, I made it to Springfield, about an hour past when I would have. A deer decided to do a suicide run in front of my van about 60 miles out. Broke all the plastic front parts, holed the ac condenser, broke the top radiator mounts and shook me up. Luckily I was driving the van and had a witness who was just behind me. Frame seems still straight and bumper frame seems still straight. Drivers quarter panel got messed and driver door won't open till the panel gets removed. Also lucky for me a small truck stop was only 2 miles away. Bought some nylon ties and was able to secure the radiator top so it wouldn't bounce around. No coolant leaks and alignment is still good. Thaks for the samaratin and Missouri Trooper that checked on me and stopped to help. Will still probably go to Tulsa tomorrow after the funeral and back on I40 as it is safer than the route between Springfield and Memphis. Pain having to climb in and out through the side doors, but at least it is a van and I can do so.

Ugh! Count my blessings, could have been worse, I could have been driving the Corrolla and been majorly crunched and hurt. Could have been pushing it and the damage could have been worse. Could have been stranded. So, still safe to drive, though will probably going to be in the shop for a while once I get back.

Just still a little shook up. Couldn't have done anythig to avoid the situation. Man!
:bang head
 
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