Robert Syme

Robert George Syme, a longtime Prineville resident, passed away on October 3, 2013 at Ochoco Care Center in Prineville after a long illness. He was 88. He was born in Ontario, Oregon to William and Esther Syme on January 22, 1925.

Robert loved people and was known everywhere he went as a very kind loveable man who loved to stop and visit with you whether he knew you or not. Although he only went to school through 8th grade you would never know as his work background was quite extensive. He started out farming/ranching in Idaho at the young age of 16 where he contracted his services to various farms cutting hay, herding sheep, construction, farming and finally telephone work. He helped build the Oxbow and Brownlee dams as well as different construction projects in Northern California and eastern Oregon. He began working for a locally owned Telephone company in Condon, Oregon in 1964 then got a job with General Telephone co. in Tigard, Oregon and retired from GTE in 1989. He was married to Leona Syme for over 50yrs. and raised 3 children.

He loved to hunt and fish and even had the opportunity to go on a fishing trip on the Arctic Circle! One of his biggest hobbies was tracing the Syme family geneology and had collected a detailed accounting of the Syme family back to Scotland where his father immigrated to America from. His greatest love, other than his immediate family were his grandkids and great grandkids whom he loved spending time with.

Robert is survived by his brother, Clark Syme, and two sisters, Lucille Turnipseed and Ann Ball as well as his son, Larry (Debra) Syme of Prineville, 6 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his daughters, Judy and Marsha, and his wife, Leona.

His surviving family would like everyone to know that we sorrow not as family without hope as we know we will see him again and we are seperated from him but for a short time. For him it will be but a "twinkling" of an eye, for us it will be until God takes us home to join him. We celebrate his life and his death knowing we will one day be reunited with him as well as the rest of our family that have gone on before us.

His memorial will be held at First Baptist Church (4th and Fairview), Prineville on Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 11:00AM.

Arrangements are in the care of Prineville Funeral Home.

Please visit www.PrinevilleFuneralHome.com to share your memories or express your condolences by signing the on-line Guest Book.