Robert Elwood Manwell (or “Good Ol’ Bob”) passed away in Castlegar at the age of 83 on Sunday, February 26th, 2017.
Bob was born in northern Ontario in 1933. His family lived out in the bush until he was
5 years old, when they moved to Sudbury with his three younger sisters, Beverly, June Anne and Shirley. He studied at Ryerson University in Toronto, and returned to Sudbury afterwards. Upon his return, he met Joyce Neklewa while playing tennis with friends. They married in 1957 and moved to Onaping shortly afterwards, where he worked at a smelter. They were blessed with a son, Robert John, in 1958, and a
daughter, Carolyn Joy, in 1961. Bob’s father passed away in 1958, but he remained close with his mother Evelyn until her death in 2009.
In 1964, he took a job at Cominco, and the young family travelled by train to their new home in Warfield. Bob worked at Cominco until his retirement, where he registered seven patents in robotics and mining technology. He also travelled widely to share his expertise, working in Chile, Vancouver, and Pine Point in the Northwest Territories.
He is survived by his two children and their spouses, John and his wife Mary Lynn, and Carolyn and her husband Darcy. He has five grandchildren (Samantha, Hayden, Emily, Fraser and Gabriel) and two great-grandchildren (Gavin and Evan). His wife Joyce passed away in 2015.
Bob was passionate about politics, and was instrumental in the election of Bob Brisco in 1974. He volunteered with the Canadian Cancer Office after going into remission in the 90s, and also volunteered designing accessibility features in the homes of people with disabilities. He loved carpentry, and has done hundreds of beautiful projects, from cabinetry to rocking horses for his grandchildren to artisan bowls. At Bob’s request, there will be no public service.