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##