Robert Lee Tinnell

Robert “Bob” Lee Tinnell, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away unexpectedly on November 3, 2022 as the result of a stroke. Bob was born on September 21, 1933 in Blanchard, IA to James Hendricks Tinnell and Mary Reba Tinnell.

Bob became a licensed pilot at the age of 16, and he used his license to work as a crop duster pilot. Upon graduating from Blanchard High School in 1952, Bob attended Iowa State University before transferring to Northwest Missouri State University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in physics in 1956. Shortly after, Bob moved to Tularosa, NM, where he joined the local Lions Club in 1961, attended graduate school at the University of New Mexico, and began his teaching career.

During his time in Tularosa, Bob met his lifelong wife, Ramona Darlene Leach, to whom he got married on June 2, 1962 in Portales, NM. The two lived and taught in Tularosa for an additional two years before moving to Salem, OR in 1964. In Salem, Bob and Ramona continued their teaching careers and started a family. The couple welcomed their first son, Robert Bruce Tinnell, into the world on November 21, 1967, and their second son, Ronald Steven Tinnell, on March 26, 1970. Bob and Ramona loved and adored their children, and the two never passed up an opportunity to go hiking, camping, or fishing with their boys. Bob was also heavily involved with his sons’ Boy Scout Troop 108, where both of his boys achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Bob taught physics, physical science, mathematics, and drafting at South Salem High School for 30 years before retiring in 1994. Bob and Ramona took immediate advantage of their retirement by purchasing a trailer and traveling to all 49 continental states twice, embarking on numerous ocean and river cruises, and traveling to countries all around the world. During this time, Bob and Ramona were blessed with two grandchildren – Benjamin David Tinnell, born June 20, 1996, and Joseph Robert Tinnell, born January 23, 2000 – by their son Robert and his wife Dianna Kay Tinnell. Bob and Ramona were very involved and loving grandparents, and always found great joy in attending their grandchildren’s sporting and robotics events.

Even during his retirement, Bob was never one to waste a day. He would often dedicate his time volunteering with the West Salem Lions Club (for which he made over 200 trips to the eye bank to support the Lions Club’s vision efforts), helping his sons and grandsons with various projects, and building an RV-6A kit plane, a project which he completed in 2010. Bob took great pride in his finished airplane, and he loved to share it with his friends and family, particularly his grandson Joseph, who became a licensed pilot in 2019.

Bob was preceded in death by his brother Don Tinnell. He is survived by his brother Roy Tinnell, his sister Francis Ann Tinnell, his sons Robert Bruce Tinnell and Ronald Steven Tinnell, his grandsons Benjamin David Tinnell and Joseph Robert Tinnell, and his wife of 60 years Ramona Darlene Tinnell.

Bob’s memorial service is open to the public and will be held on November 19 at 3:30pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church in South Salem. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lions Clubs International Foundation Empowering Service Fund.