Oct. 20, 1936 ~ July 17, 2024
Long time Rangely resident Robert (Bob) Dollahite, age 87, passed away after a lengthy battle with dementia on July 17, 2024, while being cared for at Mantley Heights Care Center in Grand Junction, CO.
Bob was born Oct. 20, 1936, in Uvalde, Texas, to Alga B. and Susie Hardin Dollahite. In the summer of 1942, the family moved to El Paso, Texas, where he would spend his schooling years and graduated from Ysleta High School in 1955. During his years at Ysleta High School, he was well known for his track and basketball abilities, lettering in both and holding several high school records during his time there
After college attempts, a stint with the Army National Guard, and finding work with Chevron Oil, Bob transferred from El Paso to Rangely, Colorado, in the early 1960s, arriving in Rangely driving his precious Austin Healey in the middle of a snowstorm! He found that Colorado weather is quite different from El Paso. He went to work for the Chevron Pipeline and worked for nearly 30 years before retiring early.
During these years he learned to fly airplanes, tinkered on old cars, and found the love of his life, golf! He could often be found on an area golf course called the “Slush Pits Country Club” and later Cedar Ridges Golf Course in Rangely and took the Club Championship two years running in the 1980s. His good nature and recognizable laugh was well known in his adopted home town.
During a hospital visit from a work-related injury, he met Katheryn Kenyon and after months of dating they were married on Aug. 5, 1967. During this union two children were born, Wesley and Gail Ann. were later divorced but remained good friends.
Several years after his divorce he was introduced to Linda Woodley of Rangely. They became good friends and after a courtship lasting nearly a year and a half, they were married on Oct. 9, 1998.
Survivors include his wife Linda of Rangely; son Wesley Dollahite of Elizabeth, Colorado; daughter Gail Ann Casey of Broomfield, Colorado; step-daughters Tressa (Tom) Nelson of Grand Junction, Colorado, and Lisa Woodley of Rangely; two grandsons, Aiden Dollahite and Terren Nelson, and two granddaughters, Madison Casey and Sydney Nelson.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Thomas and Michael Dollahite, and one grandson, Ryan Robert Dollahite.
Graveside Memorial to Services will be announced at a later date.
