Robert Bidwell

Robert Charles Bidwell, age 90, of Grange Center Road, Saegertown, passed away Monday, August 24, 2020 at the Crawford County Care Center. He was born at home on March 12, 1930 to the late Robert Finney and Velma Louise (Swift) Bidwell. He married JoAnn Schlosser on September 11, 1954. She survives.

Bob was a quiet man that held his words and emotions closely guarded but expressed love to JoAnn over the last 66 years by arriving home with a dozen ears of corn & a bag of tomatoes (her version of a bouquet of flowers & a box of chocolates). Love, guidance  and  discipline was shown to his children with that dreaded finger-snap to the earlobe that showed love but meant disapproval of any unacceptable behavior.

He was a 1948 graduate of Cambridge Spring High School. He served in the US Army from May 1950 through April 1953 and was stationed for 18 months in Korea during the Korean War. He was employed at American Viscose, Crawford Flaugh Trucking, Hathaway Bakery & Saegertown GTI (Components) before joining his brothers at Fame Manufacturing (now Fame RV Center) in 1970 as Vice President, a position he held until he retired in 1992.

Bob enjoyed winters spent in Avon Park, Florida from 1995 through 2014. His hobbies included camping, hunting, woodworking and golfing. He was a lifetime member of Venango Valley Golf Course and was the Senior Men’s Champion in both 2003 & 2004. He held a special memory of making news when both he & JoAnn shot a hole-in-one on the same night during the Tuesday Night Golf League in 2009. He was a lifetime member of the Venango VFW, former member of the Saegertown Legion and the Saegertown VFD.

Bob is survived by his wife, JoAnn; children, Sharon (Lynn) Wilson, Sandy (John) Smith and Dennis (Tammy) Bidwell; grandchildren, Tristen (Jeff) Blair, Alison (Jason) Riggle, Fallon (Cory) Brown, Kayli (Randy) Styborski, Shailyn Smith, Madison (Michael) Mitchell, Brandon (Samantha) Bidwell, Devan (Logan) Snodgrass, and nine great grandchildren; one sister, Joann (Robert) Amy  and brothers, Donald Bidwell and Richard (Christine) Bidwell.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents; brother, George and sister, Mary.

Special thanks to the nurses & caregivers at the Crawford County Care Center for the wonderful care given during his final months.

Per Bob’s request there will not be calling hours.   A private burial will be held at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Saegertown Volunteer Fire Dept., PO Box 164, Saegertown, PA 16433.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Hathaway-Tedesco Funeral Home and Crematory, 614 Baldwin St., Meadville, PA 16335.