Robert "Bob" Paffile

Robert (Bob) Floyd Paffile

July 29, 1943—August 30, 2019

(Age 76)

After a well-lived life, Bob, age 76, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, passed away Friday, 30 August, at the Schneidmiller Hospice House surrounded by his loving family. Born 29 July 1943, in Lewiston, Idaho, he was the son of the late Helen Joyce (Gregory) and Louis Paffile.

He is survived by his wife, Kathleen (McDonough) Paffile; his four children, Kristin Paffile, Molly Michaud (Gabriel Nelson), Robert (Bobby) Paffile, and Colleen Ward (David Ward); his four grandchildren, Ian Michaud, Hailey Johnson Paffile, Owen Ward, and Daniel Paffile; and his two great-grandchildren, Araya and Oliver Peterson, all of Coeur d’Alene; and his sister, Susan Robertson (Ron Robertson), of Fruitland, Idaho. He also has dozens of cousins, countless nieces and nephews, and hundreds of friends.

Bob grew up in Lewiston, Idaho, where he developed a love for restoring cars, often seen cruising the streets in one of his beloved rigs. He also became an all-star athlete, earning scholarships to Boise Junior College (BJC) in football and baseball. Bob met his wife, Kathleen (Kathi), during his time at BJC, and they married on 8 February 1964 in a 1940 Ford.

Bob and Kathi moved to Lewiston for Bob to finish his BS in Education and Kathi to begin raising their family when Kristin was born. In 1968, the family moved to Port Townsend, Washington, where Bob taught school. With the war in Vietnam still ongoing, Bob enlisted in the US Army and completed OCS. After his training in Georgia and Virginia, the family moved to Bad Tölz, Germany. A member of the 10th Special Forces, Bob became a Green Beret undergoing exercises across Europe.

When he medically retired from the Army in 1972, Bob and Kathi settled to raise the family in Coeur d’Alene, as Bob had fondly remembered playing American Legion baseball games in the pretty mountain town. Despite his “disability,” Bob ran construction of his home, installed fences around their acreage, and raised cattle, pigs, and chickens. He was active in the Early Ford V-8 Club, collecting, restoring, and trading classic cars. Travelling near and far, he also worked tirelessly for Idaho Rural Water at both the local and national level.

Bob will be remembered for his laughter, crazy antics, personal jokes, and ultimate zest for life. His work ethic and attention to detail were unmatched, and people who knew him will certainly remember how he squared away his tools, his shop, and everything in his purview. His kids will remember picking rocks in the pasture for the cows’ comfort as his requested Father’s Day present; weeks-long road trips to Southern California in a just-restored ’47 Ford Sedan and push-starting the car when it would vapor lock at stoplights from Tahoe to Huntington Beach and back home again; and most especially how their dad was constantly surrounded by loving friends and family throughout his life (for each of whom he had a special nickname). He also loved his Seahawks and Zags, and recently lamented he will be sad to miss this year’s seasons (though we’re quite sure he’s rooting them on from heaven).

There will be a funeral mass for Bob at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene at 1:00PM on Friday, 13 September followed by a celebration of his life at Cricket’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar. Burial services will be in Lewiston, Idaho, at the Lewis-Clark Memorial Gardens on Saturday, 14 at 1:00PM with a reception to follow at the Wrangler.