Robert "Bob" Lewis Squirell

Robert Lewis Squirell, son of the late Lewis and Ellen (Merwin) Squirell, was born on January 12, 1929, in Sandwich, Illinois and departed life on May 30, 2017 at Autumn Oaks Caring Center in Mountain Grove, Missouri.

“Bob”, the name he preferred, grew up near Plano, Illinois on the family farm. He learned many skills as he worked growing crops, farming with both horses and tractors, raising livestock that included draft horses, beef and dairy cattle, sheep, hogs, chickens, and his pony, Prince. At age 17, Bob came home from school to find his father had been in a severe farm accident and he quit school to take over all farm work. In his young adult years, besides doing farm work, he worked for the railroad as a timekeeper, delivering mail in Aurora, Illinois, did construction work for various contractors, joined the Illinois National Guard, and during the Korean War, the US Navy.

Returning from the Navy, he returned to the family farm. Later, in 1955, he married Mary Henricksen. The couple then moved to Plano, Illinois where Bob had a construction business of his own. He built many houses, barns, shops, and apartment buildings. The couple had three children: Rebecca (Susie), Robert (Lynn), and Pat. Besides construction work, the family Charolais cattle herd was also begun.

In 1973, the family moved to the farm south of Mountain Grove, Missouri and continued Misty Mountain Charolais Ranch breeding registered Charolais cattle. He also raised commercial cattle for beef under the name of Rock and Rose Ranch, fattening cattle on a special blend of feed he developed himself using the crops he grew in the valley of the farm. Corn, soybeans, milo, millet, wheat, oats, alfalfa, clover, and other hay crops were grown. Besides ranching, Bob became a sawyer, starting the Mill Run Lumber Company. Trees cut down clearing the farm were cut into lumber, fence posts, railroad ties, and pallet lumber. Bob and the boys built fence from posts they treated at their treating plant, as well as hay feeders, bunks, and about anything else that could be built from wood. They also built and sold several houses from lumber produced at the saw mill.

In 1990, Bob retired when the family moved to the current home near Cabool, Missouri. He continued to raise a few Charolais cattle, and began raising Labrador retriever puppies and gardening with Mary, and an Allis-Chalmer tractor rebuilding and repair business.

Bob liked to work. He had a unique way with animals and was gifted at building and working on machinery.

Besides his parents, Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Mary; three sisters: Harriet McFarland, Pauline Rees, and Francis Womac; one nephew, Mark Rees; and his son-in-law, Joe Moore.

He is survived by his three children: Rebecca Moore, Robert (Lynn) Squirell, and Pat Squirell and his wife, Patty, all of Mountain Grove, Missouri; and three granddaughters: Sarah (Moore) Coakley, Shelby Squirell, and Zoey Squirell, four nieces and a nephew.