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Robert George Panthen
Celebration of Life
Date:
Thursday
July 15, 2010
Time: 2:00 pm
Place:
Bayview Chapel - Bellingham
Robert George Panthen died peacefully in his home in Bellingham, Washington on Saturday, June 26, 2010 surrounded by his loving wife and family after a struggle with metastatic melanoma. He was a generous spirit and lived a full life of activity and service. Born November 25, 1947 in Albany, NY, he was the son of the late Erna M. and Donald C. Panthen, Sr. He grew up in Albany, where he developed a life-long love of the outdoors. He was a member of Cub and Boy Scout Troup 213, and under the guidance and leadership of his Scoutmaster Dad, advanced to Eagle Scout. Graduating from Vincentian Institute High School in 1965, he went on to receive a B.A. from the State University of New York at Potsdam and M.S. from the State University of New York at Albany. While in Potsdam he founded the service fraternity Promethius, which provided assistance and fundraising efforts for a local family in need. Bob served honorably in the US Army from 1969-1971 as a Sergeant in Vietnam with the 1st Air Cavalry Reconnaissance Division and received honors including The Bronze Star Medal. He taught High School physics and chemistry at Berne-Knox-Westerlo in Albany for five years before starting his own business as a remodeling contractor in Voorheesville, NY. His two sons, Craig and Mark were born in 1976 and 1979, respectively. In 1985 he moved his family to “the Farm,” 60 acres outside Voorheesville. There they renovated an old farm house, where Bob nurtured in his sons a talent for building. Serving the youth of the community was important to Bob, and he coached baseball, served as Scoutmaster, and was head of a community effort to build an elementary school playground in Voorheesville. He enjoyed sharing his skills and knowledge of nature, and as Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troup 73 he led his sons and many other boys into the joys and challenges of the outdoor wilderness. He moved to Estes Park, Colorado in 1995, where he owned & operated a custom tile business. There he met and married his wife, Denise. They enjoyed exploring the Rocky Mountains as well as more distant travels together. Throughout his life, activities in the outdoors with his wife, his sons, and his friends gave him much satisfaction. Canoeing, hiking, and cross-country skiing were a constant in his life, and he continued to lead cross-country ski trips for the Colorado Mountain Club in Estes Park until 2009. In November of 2009, Bob and Denise relocated to Bellingham, Washington to enjoy retirement and living close to Bob’s sons and their families. He is survived by his wife Denise Panthen of Bellingham, WA; his two sons Craig (Becky) Panthen of Seattle, Mark (Amanda) Panthen of Bellingham, WA; their mother Sue (John) Walko of Voorheesville, NY; two brothers Donald C. Panthen, Jr. and Kenneth (Elvira) Panthen, both of Albany, NY; stepson Dean (Dana) Cornelius of Tucson, AZ; stepdaughter Lynn Cornelius of Greeley, CO, as well as five grandchildren: Francesca, Caden, Grace, Oakley, and Ryder. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Thursday July 15, 2010 at 2:00 PM at Moles Bayview Chapel in Bellingham, followed by interment at the Veterans Plaza of Bayview Cemetery with Full Military Honors. Additional services are planned for Albany, NY, and Estes Park, CO. Memorial contributions may be made to Boy Scouts of America, or to Whatcom Hospice in Bellingham.
Arranged by Moles Family Funeral Homes & Crematory
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