Robert "Bob" D'Ewart

Robert “Bob” D’Ewart

March 21, 1931 – March 4, 2021

Robert “Bob” Andrew D’Ewart passed away on March 4, 2021 in Layton, Utah.

Bob was born on March 21, 1931 in Livingston, Montana to Rupert “Dooley” and Fern D’Ewart. Bob was the oldest of three boys, Richard and Henry “Bud”. He and his brothers grew up on a ranch in the Pine Creek area. Although he enjoyed riding horses, Bob learned early he wasn’t cowboy material. When he was six, he fell off his horse and broke his shoulder, and later broke his ankle tying calves, and his wrist riding a heifer. He also enjoyed hunting around the area where he grew up and got his first elk at 12, a bear at 15, and his last elk at 78.

Bob went to Pine Creek School, a one-room schoolhouse for eight years, then Park County High School before his family moved to Post Falls, Idaho where he graduated from Post Falls High School.

In Post Falls, Bob’s dad bought a service station where Bob learned how to fix cars and tires and run the station. It was also in Post Falls that he met his future wife, Juanita Halterman when she was giving the valedictorian speech for her eighth-grade graduation. They courted for four years and kept in touch through letters when Bob was drafted into the Air Force in 1951. They married on January 20, 1953 in Spokane, Washington.

Bob and Juanita moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico while Bob was stationed at Manzano Base and Juanita worked on Sandia Base. With his background in cars, Bob was in charge of the motor pool and would drive the Chaplain everywhere he needed to go. He remained good friends with those he served with, and the 1094th held frequent reunions.

After leaving the Air Force in 1955 Bob held a few jobs in Albuquerque before he began his career as a salesman for Kraft Foods. While there, Bob and Juanita had two sons, Brian and David. The family moved to Bozeman, Montana in 1961, then Billings in 1962 where they later had their youngest son, Jay, and stayed for the remainder of their lives. Bob’s family was his pride and joy. He loved his wife deeply and frequently told everyone how proud he was of his sons and all their accomplishments, including their decisions to serve missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In 1983 Bob turned down a promotion with Kraft Foods and instead started his own business, Dewco, Inc., a feed ingredient supplier for the livestock industry. In 1994, his son Brian joined the company and the two enjoyed working together until Bob’s passing.

Bob enjoyed hunting season with his sons and grandsons, and spent every October at the family’s hunting camps, first in Montana, then in Wyoming. In the off-season he could usually be found fishing and ice fishing at Cooney Reservoir, or golfing at Pryor Creek Golf Club and Yegen Golf Club. Bob and Juanita enjoyed traveling and took their trailer to the east coast and Alaska to see the sights, with a few stops to see family along the way. He made many close friends in Billings and enjoyed meeting them for coffee in the mornings and lunch in the afternoons.

Bob is survived by his children, Brian (Sandy), David (Dana), Jay (Terie), nine grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother Dick (Ann). He is preceded in death by his wife Juanita, his parents, and his brother Bud. The family deeply appreciates Bob’s kind neighbors who made it possible for him to stay in his home.

There will be a graveside service on May 8, at the Shorthill Cemetery, south of Livingston, Montana. For more information regarding the service, contact David at davedewart@gmail.com.