ForeverMissed
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This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Robert Thornburg, 83 years old, born on January 22, 1933, and passed away on June 6, 2016. We will remember him forever.
Pam Zullo
November 11, 2023
November 11, 2023
Happy Veterans Day, Dad!

You served your country with Pride and remained a faithful Patriot!

You are my forever Hero and I miss you today and always!

Love you so much, Pam
January 23, 2023
January 23, 2023
You are in my thoughts, through out the year, and this reminder of you always floods me with so many memories. Happy Birthday and may your presence in our Universe continue to foster kindness in others.

David
January 22, 2023
January 22, 2023
Happy Birthday Bob! You are gone from my sight, but you are always in my Heart! Jim!
January 22, 2023
January 22, 2023
Hi Brother!
We miss you so much. You were such a vital part of our childhood. Growing up with you was so special. Love you so much. Jeanne
June 6, 2022
June 6, 2022
Dad, my heart misses you so much and wish you were still on this side with us.  I see you in every beautiful fluttering butterfly and I always say "Hi Dad!" You filled me with joy and love through my entire life and I am forever grateful you are my Dad!  Love, Pam
January 22, 2022
January 22, 2022
Happy Heavenly Birthday Brother Bob! I think of you often, and you are missed by so many! Love You! Jim
January 22, 2022
January 22, 2022
On your birthday, I can only add that while the sadness of your passing has left my heart, my memory of you never will. Somewhere in the Universe, you are still there, providing a gentle hand of guidance, as you always did, when walking with us. 
January 22, 2022
January 22, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! You are missed. Love from your sister.
January 22, 2021
January 22, 2021
Happy Birthday Bob! I think of you often! You are greatly missed by all, but I know you are in The Loving Arms of GOD! I Love You Bob!
January 22, 2021
January 22, 2021
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOB! You are sooo missed. Keep that special star sparkling brightly! Love always, Sister Jeanne.
June 8, 2020
June 8, 2020
Hi Dad,
I've seen your bright beautiful smile in so many places and it brings me great joy and peace to know you are smiling down on us always.  I love you and miss you with all my heart.  Your loving daughter, Pam
June 7, 2020
June 7, 2020
Miss you so much, Bob. I so enjoy visiting with Sally from time to time. Our memories of you are so precious. Big Sis, Jeanne
June 6, 2020
June 6, 2020
Bob, I think of you frequently and I will never forget you and the place you have in my life. The pain of missing you is less, however the memories remain strong and your spirit of life continues. Love you brother.

David
June 8, 2019
June 8, 2019
Hey there Brother Bob. I know you are up there watching over us. Miss you so much. Jeanne
June 7, 2019
June 7, 2019
Hey Dad
Think about you every day, I have looked up to your guidance and I appreciate you watching over your family here.
I love you
Tom
January 26, 2019
January 26, 2019
Happy BD Brother! I miss your email messages, I miss our phone calls and your wisdom. Be happy & know you are loved. Jeanne
January 22, 2019
January 22, 2019
Happy Birthday Brother Bob! I know you are celebrating with Dad, Mom, Donald and Damaris! What a celebration it must be up there in Heaven! I miss you Bob and think of you often! All My Love to You! Jim
January 22, 2019
January 22, 2019
Happy Birthday Dad!!
Really miss your wise counsel. This last year has been filled with highs and lows, today finds me at the low, you were always there to make sense of life decisions, I’m missing that right now. The reward is I know your there helping behind the scenes, as things work themselves out with hard work!
Thanks for your teachings and being there always!!
Your loving son
Tom
June 14, 2017
June 14, 2017
Dear brother, I have so many cherished memories of sharing childhood antics with you. We did have fun and thinking back, were quite creative! I do miss you and those emails. You were a quiet stabilizing influence on my life and I miss that. Love you always, your big sister Jeanne.
June 11, 2017
June 11, 2017
It's hard to believe that it's been a year already since Bob passed away. It's equally hard to believe that 59 years have passed since we first met. A famous entertainer back in the 20's named Will Rogers said "I never met a man that I didn't like". In the 59 years that I knew Bob I never met a man that didn't like him. As much as anything else, I think we can remember him for that piece of truth along with any other good traits that he possessed.
June 6, 2017
June 6, 2017
I just realized that my Dad passed on the memorial of D-Day!  A fitting day for his passing...going out with a fight!
June 6, 2017
June 6, 2017
Today and every day I think of my Dad. I miss him so much it hurts!  The love that my Dad had for his family is aptly described in this poem and I can't imagine having a better Dad!  I know he is watching carefully over me and all of us!

OUR FATHER KEPT A GARDEN

Our father kept a garden.
A garden of the heart;
He planted good things
That gave our lives their start.

He turned us to the sunshine,
And encouraged us to dream:
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self-esteem.

And when the winds and rain came,
He protected us enough;
But not too much because he knew
We would stand up straight and tough.

His constant good example,
Always taught us right from wrong;
Markers for our pathway that will last
a lifetime long.

We are our Fathers garden,
We are his legacy.
Thank you Dad, we love you.
OUR FATHER KEPT A GARDEN

Forever Your loving daughter!
June 6, 2017
June 6, 2017
Dear Bob,

Tom sent this to me awhile back and it was helpful to know that someone understood!

The loss you feel when a loved one dies is not the worst feelng in the world.....missing them for the rest of your life is the worst.

Never-the- less, we are doing well here. Missing you always. 

Love, Sally
June 6, 2017
June 6, 2017
Hey Dad
Kind of ironic. I'm going to a meeting today at 1:00
The company has made me Director of Sales.
I know you would have said. "Well that's great".
I'm walking in your shoes. Well sorta.
I love you
Tom
June 6, 2017
June 6, 2017
When you said goodbye to me in Aberdeen Bob you said we won't be seeing each other again. I said we will but God had a different plan till we meet again. Love you! Sharon.
June 6, 2017
June 6, 2017
I have thought about Bob many times this past year. He still lives in my mind and heart and all of us were blessed to have him in our life. May all live life as he did. I miss you brother.

David
December 22, 2016
December 22, 2016
I have a lot of memories of Bob. One that stands out right now is when I was only four or five years old. Bob had gotten a ticket for speeding, so our Dad took Bob's car and took the tires off and put it up on blocks. Well me, being me thought that Bob did not have enough in the gas tank. So I filled it up to the top with dirt. Boy, I can't begin to tell you how mad Bob and Dad were at me. But, all in all - Bob I really miss you for all you did for me, no matter how small they were! Bob was the type of person that would give you the shirt off his back if it would help you. I truly miss your phone calls and emails. Also miss chatting with you on Facebook! Although I miss you now - I know someday we will meet up again in Heaven! Love You Brother!
June 25, 2016
June 25, 2016
This is for "Bobbie"

God saw he was getting tired and a cure
was not to be. 
So He put His arms around him and
wispered "come to me"
With tearful eyes we watched and
saw him fade away.
Although we loved him dearly,
we could not make him stay.
A golden heart stopped beating
-hard working hands to rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.
June 17, 2016
June 17, 2016
I am a neighbor here at Ceres Gleann and haven't known Bob for very long so it was so nice to see the many tributes and the pictures of Bob through the years. When Bob would walk around the neighborhood he always stopped and talked to me and we had some good conversations. On one of those walks I was able to meet his daughter who was visiting.  He and Sally kept the front entrance to C.G. beautiful for us and he served on our landscape committee. We thank you Bob for your thoughtfulness, kindness and service. You were a good neighbor. We will watch over Sally. R.I.P.
June 17, 2016
June 17, 2016
I have so many cherished memories of growing up with Bob. Being the two oldest, we shared so much. I remember the "hut" we built (Even then Bob was into wood products even tho the wood was in the raw!). He was also a sharpshooter with a dish towel aimed at my backside!
But a real gentle person who made sure each of us were okay and were treated fairly. Loved you, brother, rest in peace. Jeanne
June 16, 2016
June 16, 2016
We at Pollmeier were working with Bob on many sawmill projects for nearly 20 years. In fact he helped us strongly in many ways to raise that new business of ours. During this long period we were building 3 new sawmills with him, installed a lot of his equipment and got that running on high capacity. He often visited us in Germany for this reason.

Not only was Bob a very hard working and experienced salesman but also did he offer his advise at all times. Because of his extraordinary helpfulness and kindness he was highly appreciated in our whole company.

With Bob we are losing an always respected business partner and a friend

Ralf Pollmeier                  Torsten Kröger
June 16, 2016
June 16, 2016
Going through old mails, I found this:
“Hi Rick,
I want to thank you again for meeting me at the airport. You were such a big help under the circumstances. Sure enjoyed my visit to Koln even though it was to short. I left Koln about 11:00 AM on Thursday and drove to Frankfurt, took my time and enjoyed the drive. I arrived home on Saturday evening, just in time to tell Sally happy 39th. aniversery. Always your friend and brother-in-law.
Bob“
That is a mail Bob sent me dated May 22, 1997 after his business trip to Germany. I met him at the airport in Frankfurt, helped him buy new clothes because they’d misplaced his luggage, and a week later he drove across Germany to visit me in Cologne. It wasn’t a really long trip compared to what he was used to - driving all over Oregon, Idaho and Washington - but to me, it was special: one of the rare occasions that somebody came to visit me in Germany. My family has mostly been used to me doing the traveling.
We had a great visit, and I got to know Bob all over again as a curious and open-minded traveler.
What now stands out in my mind is his generosity. One example: I used to - sometimes foolishly - think that I could do anything if I set my mind to it. Once I tried, at Mom and Dad’s house, to repair a sink drain but soon realized that a little plumbing experience would have been useful. I was helpless. Bob then came over and finished the job, explaining everything to me in the process.
Whatever he turned his hand to, it seemed to work. Both of us were among the earliest users of PCs, back in 1983, both Kaypro fans. We exchanged tips and software at a time when few people knew what software was. Through that, I observed that Bob didn’t take the easy way, but neither did he ever give up. They don’t make them like that anymore. And I’m not talking about Kaypro computers. I’m talking about guys like Bob.
He was the kind of person you’d want to have around. Good-natured, family-oriented, always time for a friendly word. Successful. And he knew how to have fun. His natural cheer and diplomacy clearly served him well in his business dealings. But I wouldn’t have wanted to be a business partner who’d crossed him. I think he was tough as nails, something you might not have suspected about him at first.
My memories of Bob go back to early childhood in fact, and they are all attached to a good feeling about family. He and Sally were part of that family that seemed so wonderful and so far away, they living in Oregon and we in South Dakota. Meeting them every couple of years in one place or another was always a festivity. And after Mom and Dad and I moved to Oregon, I could just drop into their place any time unannounced. They always made me feel welcome. And after Mom died, Sally and Bob opened their house to Frank and me when we visited.
I’m glad to have saved all the e-mails he sent and forwarded to me over the years. Some really funny, some corny, some I disagreed with, and some that Sally didn’t approve of! But always demonstrating an independent spirit and a person who knew his feelings and convictions.
I am grateful to Bob always for the support, acknowledgment and encouragement he gave me. A very kind man.
“Always your friend and brother-in-law….”
Rick
June 16, 2016
June 16, 2016
I can remember when I was young how Bob I called him Bobby my oldest brother. How I, looked up to him after losing our father. Bobby was there like a father figure. I was only nine and I remember Bobby taking me with his friend Neil, to the movie Giant. And watching them work on their cars. I, soppose they really did not want a little girl watching them. These are a few things I remember that's the kind of person Bobby was always caring. Rest in Peace Bobby. Love You .Your sister Sharon
June 15, 2016
June 15, 2016
Bob was a great friend and always willing help to anytime. Just recently he was able to help me with sawmill questions. When I started in sales he invited me to go along on trips with him, he taught me alot. He knew everyone in the industry.
Along the way he knew the best hotels and resturants. I remember the night I nerviously followed him down an alley and in the back door of a resturant and then to my surprise treated like family. Every location we stopped they knew him by name. He was loved by all.

During my travels with Bob, I found he also knew my father and had sold him sawmill equipment in the 70s. At that time I realized I had heard of Bob. I was 16 years old and did not know Bob but I knew when he was in town with my Dad. They always went fishing the next day after a long dinner meeting.
I read somewhere that we would all miss the many email jokes Bob always sent out. Well I will the most. A couple years ago I was sick. During my daily treatment I looked forward to reading Bob's email jokes, he helped me to get through that time. I will miss my connection with Bob. God please bless and watch over Sally.
June 15, 2016
June 15, 2016
What a great memorial to Bob! I love seeing all the pictures, especially from his younger days! He was a good man!!
June 15, 2016
June 15, 2016
Maxi Mill, Inc. worked with Bob on many sawmill projects over the years. We always appreciated how hard Bob worked before and after the sale. He was much more than a salesman though - he was our good friend - always willing to help us in anyway possible.
June 14, 2016
June 14, 2016
I can remember visiting Bob and family with my Mother when I was very young. I think we took the train out to visit.  Bob was full of fun and took me with him to get new shocks and tires on his car...I think it was a '56 Ford...white, if memory serves...anyway I can remember how special he made me feel that he would include me. He made it a special day with treating me to a soda. A little thing but that is what made Bob special...all the little things he did that will be missed.  I will always remember his kindness and quick humor along with being one of the smartest people I have known.  Rest in peace brother. I miss your emails and talks on the phone. Love to all your family.

David
June 14, 2016
June 14, 2016
Rest in Peace my dear, until we meet again, you will live in my heart. I am proud to have been the one to know you the best, and for the longest.
June 14, 2016
June 14, 2016
Bob was a fun, caring and giving person. He once told me to treat others as though it was my last day on earth. I was just a teenager when he shared this wisdom with me and I have never forgotten it. 
And I know he tried to live his life this way. I had gained the nick name "Bobby" somewhere along the way. This created some confusion when the phone would ring and someone would call out "Bobby there is a girl on the line for you" when the caller was one of my friends calling for me! But he was a good sport about it. I have a lot of wonderful memories of you Bob. Rest in peace dear brother.

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Recent Tributes
Pam Zullo
November 11, 2023
November 11, 2023
Happy Veterans Day, Dad!

You served your country with Pride and remained a faithful Patriot!

You are my forever Hero and I miss you today and always!

Love you so much, Pam
January 23, 2023
January 23, 2023
You are in my thoughts, through out the year, and this reminder of you always floods me with so many memories. Happy Birthday and may your presence in our Universe continue to foster kindness in others.

David
January 22, 2023
January 22, 2023
Happy Birthday Bob! You are gone from my sight, but you are always in my Heart! Jim!
Recent stories
January 23, 2017

I think about you often brother.  You will forever be in our hearts and minds.  I can hear your voice and laughter and truly miss our conversations.  Each visit here brings memories and makes one realize what a great man your were.  God has chosen you to be with him and all of us miss you.  Thanks for being part of my life.

Love always,

David 

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