Robert "Bob" William Falkner

Bob Falkner passed away peacefully on September 12, 2022, at the age of 66 surrounded by his loved ones at the family farm in Frances, WA. Bob was born on December 16, 1955, in Spokane, WA, to Al and Amanda Falkner and was the youngest of 5 children. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1978 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (but from the stories he told, it should have been in bowling, volleyball, and roadtripping).

Upon wrapping up his time at UW, Bob met the love of his life, Lynette (Nettie), on a blind date. Married on August 19, 1978, the two began their life together in Olympia, WA, where they raised their four children: Kate, Tim, Mary Beth (Bis), and Elly. Bob’s greatest source of joy was being a dad to his kids; he filled their lives with spontaneous adventures, movie nights, minivans, and endless laughter.

In addition to being a devoted husband and father, Bob served the Catholic Church as the youth minister at St. Michael’s for many years. His unwavering faith fueled his dedication to helping young people grow closer to Christ through CYO, Life Teen, Mexico mission trips, and Steubenville NW conferences. His time with the church impacted countless people and was a defining part of his identity.

Remembering Bob wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging his wisest words: “The best kind of tree is a horizontal tree.” Bob’s love for the family farm ran deep. Upon marrying Lynette, he dove into studying and learning sustainable forestry practices and spent the rest of his days sharing his love of forestry with the community through efforts with Project Learning Tree, Pacific County Farm Forestry and Washington State Farm Forestry. In 2003, Bob and Lynette were named National Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year, a distinction of which Bob was immensely proud. He eventually retired to the farm as there was truly no place that brought him more joy. His presence will always be felt there.

Bob filled his days with smiles and Dad jokes. He surrounded himself with the best community and never stopped trying to make those people feel loved, just as they loved him. Although his laughter will be forever missed, his joy will continue to impact the lives of those who knew him.

Bob is survived by his wife, Lynette; their children, Kate Falkner, Tim Falkner, Mary Beth (Greg) Haselfeld, and Elly Falkner; his grandson, Bennett Haselfeld; his siblings Nancy (Greg) Cooper, Al (Vicki) Falkner, Jim (Joleen) Falkner, and Mike (Lauren) Falkner; and many nieces and nephews.

Bob will be celebrated with a funeral mass at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Olympia, WA, on Saturday, September 24, at 10 a.m. In lieu of a formal Rosary, we invite you to pray from the comfort of your home at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 23, 2022.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to support small family forest landowners through the American Tree Farm System or the Holy Family Catholic Church historical restoration fund (â„… Patti Gwerder, 331 Elk Prairie Road, Raymond, WA 98577) would be greatly appreciated.