Robert Freeman Bird

Robert Freeman Bird (Bob) age 95, from Springville, Utah died Wednesday, December 28, 2011 from Kidney failure. He was born March 28, 1916 in Mapleton, Utah to Freeman Crandall Bird and Eva Marchbanks Bird. He married Larell F. Thurman (Lorrie) on November 10, 1943 in the Salt Lake Temple. At the time of his death, they had been married for 68 years.



Bob was an Eagle Scout and graduated from BYU with a Bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture in June 1940. After graduation he went to California. He used his drafting skills to help get a job at Douglas Aircraft Company. He met and married his wife Lorrie and later served in the Army during the end of World War II. He worked for the US Army Corps of Engineers for over 30 years as a site planner.



He was a lifelong, faithful member of the LDS church with a deep testimony of Jesus Christ. A few years after his retirement from the Corps in 1981, he and Lorrie served a fulltime LDS mission to the Island of Jamaica. They loved the people and the experience. Upon their return from Jamaica, they sold their home in California and bought a house in Springville, Utah. Bob loved his home in Springville, and spent many hours tending his garden. He could often be seen walking with his cat Rusty and admiring his plants. He was a Master Gardner and Herbalist. He kept busy in his "retirement "by working as a landscape Architect. He designed many beautiful landscape plans for homes and businesses in Utah, Valley. He loved his work. He was deeply connected to all plant life and talked to plants, not only to help them grow but because he loved them. He was a deeply devoted brother, husband and father. He also loved boats and Louis L'amour books.



Bob is survived by his wife Lorrie and children Diana, Kathleen, Michael and Pamela, his 8 grandchildren, and 7 great- grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother Norman, his sister Virginia and his youngest son Brian, who died in November 2010.



Funeral Services will be held Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 11 a.m. at the Springville 2nd ward chapel, 1785 East 400 South Springville, Utah. Friends and Family may call Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Wheeler Mortuary, 211 East 200 South in Springville or Saturday at the church one hour prior to the services. Burial will be in the Springville Evergreen Cemetery with Military Rites by the American Legion.



Condolences may be sent at www.wheelermortuary.com