Robert (Bob) William Edwards was born in Klamath Falls, Ore., on Nov. 29, 1936, to Robert T. Edwards and Marie (Nork) Edwards. Bob was a devout Christian man and went to meet the Lord on June 18, 2016. Bob joined the U.S. Air Force at age 17 and served four years as a medic in Northern Africa. The doctor on the base challenged him to read the Bible, and he made a choice to follow Jesus.

The next two years he attended San Jose Bible College in San Jose, Calif. Bob was an avid reader and loved to read the Bible cover to cover.

Bob married Patsy Ferris and together they had four children: Evelyn, Debbie, Robert and Tom. In 1962, he joined the San Jose Fire Department and retired in 1987 as a Station Captain.

Bob was always very athletic. He won third place in California State firefighter competition in archery. He loved to hang glide and became a certified instructor and flew all over California and Nevada for many years.

At age 41, he tried Tae Kwon Do and four years later earned his second degree black belt. In the succeeding years, he ran five marathons, two ultra marathons (32 and 50 miles), two pentathlons, one triathlon and more half-marathons then he could count.

In 1985, Bob married Kay (Totten) Barton. And after Bob’s retirement in 1987, they returned to Kay’s hometown of Coeur d’Alene and they joined the Coeur d’Alene Bible Church, where Bob served as a Care-Group Leader. Bob and Kay joined the Lake City Striders group in 1994. Bob became certified to lead the stretch band class for 15 years until his diagnosis with pancreatic cancer in 2014.

In 2005, he walked across England in 13 days with his hiking buddy, Jim. Then they hiked Machu Pichu in Peru with other buddies — Gary and Roger. The list goes on — hiking Bryce and Zion Canyons, the Hawaiian Grand Canyon, the West Coast Trail and the last but not least Canfield Mountain many times.

At age 75, he tried skydiving. Bob continued to be very active. He was in Kootenai Medical Center’s class for hospital clowns and became president of the “Smile Squad” who cheered up hundreds of patients over 12 years.

Bob is survived by his loving wife, Kay; daughters Evelyn Traxler of Fort Knox, Ky., and Debbie Nunez of San Jose, Calif.; sons Robert Edwards of Salem, Ore., and Tom Edwards of St. Paul, Minn.; step-children Cherron Barton of Post Falls, Idaho, Susan Montelongo of Austin, Texas, and Rick Barton of Austin. Also surviving are siblings Kay Butler of Tacoma, Wash., and Linda Chavez of Denver, Colo.

Grandchildren Rebecca (Marc) Smith, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Rebecca Edwards, Salem, Ore.; Daniel Nunez, San Jose, Andy Harvey, California; Kory Barton, Maine; Justin Barton, Santa Cruz, Calif.; Gabe Armenderiz, Modesto, Calif.; Sabrina Armenderiz, Austin; Melanie Rice, Cedar Park, Texas; and Jason Montelongo, Fort Lewis, Wash.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister Carol White; and grandsons Bobby and James Edwards.

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 22, 2016, at Coeur d’Alene Bible Church.

Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Please visit Bob’s online memorial at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com and sign his guest book.

Memorials may be made in Bob’s memory to Hospice of North Idaho, Hospice House, 2290 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815 or Striders INW, 1133 W. Starling Ave., Hayden, ID 83835.