Birth date: Dec 12, 1925 Death date: Jan 15, 2005
Mr. Robert L. Axtell, age 79, passed away Saturday, January 15, 2005. He was born December 12, 1925 in Pepin, Wisconsin to Lloyd and Lora (Hill) Axtell. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy having served during WWII. Mr. Axtell worke Read Obituary
I was married to Lora, Robert's sister, for over 50 years. Robert and Lora were very close as children. Lora wrote about growing up in Pepin in the hard depression years. The quality of the Axtell family stands out. So I have a sense of life in Pepin. Robert was a good, caring man. He never showed much of himself to us. Good by, Robert, and i will say good by for Lora too.##imported-begin##Fred Hawley##imported-end##
This is a brief message of thanks to the many people in Muskegon who cared for my uncle in his last years. As a physician, I am aware of how challenging it can be when an independent, strong willed person of fixed habits must be eased into accepting the care and direction of others. I am sure that at times some of these people have had their patience tried. I think Robert thought of his Muskegon friends as his family. The excellent care he received is a tribute to the community. I hope Mr. Smythe might be in a position to share these words with his caregivers.##imported-begin##Lynn Bootes##imported-end##
I am a neice of Bob Axtell--we knew him as nothing but "Uncle Robert." I have been especially full of thoughts and memories of him this past week, but didn't know where to start with a "public" memorial. Mr. Smythe's entry inspires me. Like my mother (Rosemary Roehl), I am relieved to discover a link to his life in Muskegon. Uncle Robert was to us the exotic uncle, the one who wasn't married, who traveled far and wide, and who dropped in, usually with little notice, to stay for unspecified periods of time in the midst of our lives. We didn't always know where he had been in between visits, and we weren't always sure that his stories gave us the WHOLE picture, but we were glad for the visits and the stories, nonetheless.
My most vivid memory of Uncle Robert from my childhood is of combing his hair. I was shy and half afraid of him, but for some reason I had the nerve--and was allowed--to stand on the sofa next to him and comb his hair. I remember noticing that he would sit very still. He was probably gritting his teeth just waiting for me to be done with my folly. Years later, when I was in college and studying in England, he and I met for a day together. I recalled this same memory for him and he laughed and wouldn't say whether he had been gritting his teeth or not.
When it came time for Uncle Robert to give up housekeeping permanently, I came into possession of things I thought were important, even though I know little about that other, professional side of his life. These include plaques honoring his years of service to various companies, cards signed by co-workers at his retirement, and a number of photos of the plant in Muskegon. How pleased I am to learn that his photo hangs in a hallway and "stories will be told." I had feared that it would all just end in a box in my attic.
My thanks to Mr. Smythe for kind words about a side of Uncle Robert that we didn't know. I have always been fond of him, but I've never before had the opportunity to be proud of him.
Julie Roehl Coffin##imported-begin##Julie Roehl Coffin##imported-end##
I am so pleased to read a response from the Smythe's in Muskegon. I had come to believe that noone there had ever heard of him. I'm the little sister and my son bears Robert's name. He and I were at home with our mother after the other siblings had left and he played the part of big brother very well. When I entered UW Madison he gave me lots of fatherly advice about how to servive. He totally supported our mother while she was in a nursing home here in Wausau. On a visit to Pepin, WI several years ago and visiting the local cemetery he said, rather uncharacteristically "I think I'd like to be buried here with my brothers" so in the spring that is where we will take his remains.##imported-begin##Rosemary Axtell Roehl##imported-end##
I am quoting from my mother, Lora Hawley's memoirs about their childhood in Pepin, Wisconsin. Robert and his sister Lora, a year older and brother Lynn, two years older, were an active and inseparable trio during their childhood in the depression years. "Lynn was our Huck Finn to our Tom Sawyer and Becky." Robert's childhood years were more diffictult than most due to his father's stroke and invalidism beginning in 1929. As an adult, Robert's hard work enabled him to travel and socialize with people of all walks of life. He told me he chose to settle down finally in Muskegon because it reminded him of Pepin, with a friendly Midwestern attitude and the beautiful lakeshore. He described to me the challenges involved in building a chemical plant that did not pollute, and the efforts they made to improve the environment in the land around the plant.
One correction in the obituary is that he has 8 neices and nephews. There are also 12 grand neices and nephews. We were all able to see him at a grand reunion in 2000.##imported-begin##Lynn Bootes##imported-end##
As one of Robert's nieces, I will always remember his visits to my childhood home as happy occasions. He truly loved playing with his nieces and nephews and brought the coolest toys that lasted for years. When I was in medical school I looked forward to occasional visits to Muskegon. One bit of wisdom I learned from him from the many years he spent travelling between plants: when looking for your car in an airport parking lot, just relax and let your feet do the walking. When you stop, you will almost always be within sight of your car. It works!##imported-begin##Lynn Bootes##imported-end##
Bob Axtell was revered by many of us at the Muskegon Site that he created for Fisons Ltd. I believe it was 1975 when he was brought in to open a new site to develop chemical processing operations for the English company Fisons. In the early 70's jobs were hard to find and a new investment was welcomed. He laid out a well designed plant , nestled in 440 acres of Michigan woodland, and was determined that the land should be looked after as well as the production campaigns. Over the years he put together a fine team to bring the site to life and production started in 1977. Some of the employees he hired in that year still work there today. He added many others over the years. The foundations he laid have enabled many families to earn an honest living and many happy retirees will join me in giving thanks for Bob's energy and willingness to give a young man a chance.
Bob retired, from what was then Nor-Am Chemical Co, in the late 80's but he was still loved and we all looked forward to seeing him at our Christmas Dinners for years afterwards. It could not be every year as he often headed south in the winter - far south in fact, to the America's Cup races in Perth or just cruises south of the equator.
We have often talked of how he had a sixth sense in the form of an ability to walk up to you in the far corner of the site just when you were having a problem. He would bark a little and pull out his screwdriver and adjust the instrument that was misbehaving. He was front-line and hands-on but also commanded repsect as Vice President of Manufacturing whether here in the community or on the east coast at headquarters.
He gave me a chance at the Muskegon Site and I have enjoyed the last 22 years here very much and will always remember Bob with gratitude. My wife is from LaCrosse, WI, and attended Mad Madison and always stuck close to him as Badgers united against the Wolverines.
The employees at his site, now part of Bayer CropScience, will always remember Bob, and newcomers will see his photo in the office hallways and hear the stories.
I hope his family hears about his time in Muskegon and realize what a contribution he made to so many lives this side of the lake.
With Sincere Sympathies
Steve and Carol Smythe##imported-begin##Steve Smythe##imported-end##
