Robert McCaw Obituary

Longtime Oxford area resident Robert Bruce McCaw died Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014, at his winter home in Chandler, Ariz. He was two weeks shy of his 83rd birthday.

Known as "Bob," he was born to Forest and Amy McCaw on Jan. 28, 1931, at his parents' home in Oxford. He rode a horse to the Oxford School House until his high school years, when he moved to Durango to attend high school. In 1948, he graduated from Durango High School and worked for his uncle Bill Crawley at Crawley Sporting Goods.

In 1949, Mr. McCaw enlisted in the National Guard and reached the rank of master sergeant and sharpshooter. In 1956, he was ready to be deployed to Korea, but at the last moment his unit's orders were changed, and he didn't have to go.

Mr. McCaw met the woman his family called the "love of his life," Mary Cook, while she was working at Basin Drug in Durango. The couple married Aug. 15, 1952, in Aztec.

Mr. McCaw went into partnership with his father on the family ranch, where they raised stock cattle and drove the cattle to their mountain range at Hermosa in the summer. In 1956, he started his dairy business and ran it for 30 years, going into partnership with his son and daughter-in-law in 1982.

The McCaws retired in 1994 and spent their winters in Arizona, where they enjoyed the warm winter months. His favorite things were to fish, hunt, and in the summer, help his son, David, bale hay on the family ranch.

"He will long be remembered for his love and time with his family and friends," according to his family, "and his clever ability to always win at cards, dice and board games."

Mr. McCaw is survived by his wife of 61 years, Mary McCaw, of Ignacio and Chandler; daughters Linda Walter and Janet Reinhardt, both of Ignacio, and Tammy Morrissey of Chandler; son, David McCaw, of Ignacio; 12 grandchildren; 13 great- grandchildren; one nephew and one niece; and numerous great-nieces, nephews and extended family members.

A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, 2013, at the Pine River Valley Baptist Church, 11942 Colorado Highway 172 in Ignacio. Burial will take place immediately after the service at the Florida Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Pine River Valley Baptist Church for the McCaw Memorial, 11942 Colorado Highway 172, Ignacio, CO 81137.