Harvey Robert Isham

Harvey Robert “Bob” Isham, age 94, of Grants Pass passed away May 7, 2025 at his home.

Army Military Funeral Honors will begin at 2:00 p.m., May 15, 2025 at Eagle Point National Cemetery with Pastor Dennis Webber officiating.

Harvey Robert “Bob” Isham was born July 11th, 1930, in Grants Pass, Oregon to Harvey Harold and Elsie Marie Isham. He was the 3rd generation of Isham’s to be born in Grants Pass. On May 7th, 2025, he passed peacefully at his home with his wife, Pat, of 72 years and daughter Kym by his side.

He grew up hunting, fishing, trapping and mining around the Rogue Valley. At age 15 he moved to Glendale and lived with the Wunch family, helping around their mink ranch and later obtaining his GED.

In 1952 he met the love of his life, Patricia “Pat” Jane Berry, and they were married a few months later in Reno, Nevada. It was a double ring ceremony with her widowed mother and new husband.

Bob enlisted in the US Army in September 1953. He and Pat were stationed in Fort Ord, California, for 2 years during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in September 1955.

Upon returning to Grants Pass, he went to work for a new gravel and road building company, Copeland Sand and Gravel. He was the superintendent for Copeland’s until he retired in 1985. During those 30 years he and Pat built three homes, the last being the one he passed in. Never being someone to be idle, he began clearing brush from the county property behind their home as soon as he retired. Later on that area became the location for the Ross Roe Memorial Tree Plant for local schools and scout troops. He loved being part of the annual tradition and showing off his old yellow Willy’s Jeep!

His love for hunting and fishing continued as an adult which he shared with his wife and daughter. He enjoyed archery elk hunting with his good friend, even once running out of arrows while face to face with a bull elk over on the coast. Luckily his friend was close by and able to help out. He liked to take family and friends out on roads that were coined “Bob-type roads” by family and friends. This name equated to steep, narrow, scary roads!

When it started getting hard to get out and prepare the land for the tree plants, he began gathering pinecones and making his creations. Whenever he and Pat would go to appointments, he would take a pinecone letter holder, picket fence or something else he made, and give it to someone who helped him out. He continued to give them to everyone who came to his home right up until the end.

He and Pat also loved going to casinos and spent a lot of time at Seven Feathers. They were known and well-liked by many fellow gamblers and staff up there, receiving phone calls from concerned staff when they hadn’t been seen there in a while.

Bob will long be remembered for his gift of being able to fix most anything and always willing to help others.

Bob was preceded in passing by his sister Louise Mason and brother Waldon Isham. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Patricia, only child, Kimberly Isham-Woolsey and husband Kevin, grandson Kale Woolsey and wife Sara, granddaughter Kallie Tocher-Woolsey and husband Trent, and 5 great-grandchildren, nephew James Mason and wife Vicky. He also has several other cousins, nieces and nephews who live out of town.

Please share a memory of Harvey in his Guestbook.