Robert Dean Carver “Bob/Beanie” passed away at 79 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer in Boise.
We are probably going to tell you more than you wanted to know... Bob was the fifth of George and Charlotte Carver’s seven children and brought home to the farm near Highwood, Mont. When Bob was in second grade, the family moved to Fort Benton, Mont., where his father worked as a carpenter building many homes in the area.
Dubbed “Beanie” by his family at an early age, he relished the nickname even more as he grew older. Always a hard worker, Bob worked washing dishes at the Snack Bar, setting pins at the bowling alley and as a mechanic at the John Deere Dealership while attending school. He graduated from Fort Benton high school in 1959 and Montana State University in 1964 with a B.S. in Agriculture Business. In college he was an active member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, music and intramural sports. He would take quarters off and work summers on road crews and other jobs to pay his way through.
In May 1964, he married VerNel Dwyer, whom he had met the summer of 1962 at the Encampment for Citizenship in New York City. Ironically, Nel had grown up only 40 miles from him in Montana. He began his career in agricultural credit with Farm Home Administration, worked one year in Malta, Mont., and then opened a new Federal Housing Administration office in Glasgow, Mont.
In 1966, he received “Greetings” from Uncle Sam, trained at Fort Ord, Calif., and was stationed in Germany with an Army unit at Spangdahlem Air Force Base. During his tour of duty he worked in finance, personnel and communications.
His wife was able to join him in Germany and their first child, Brian, was born in 1967. They were able to take many a weekend trip during this time to explore Europe in their VW bug.
Bob returned to MSU to complete a Master of Agriculture Economics and was accepted into the Ph.D. program at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. In 1972, he completed his studies and welcomed a second child, Betsy.
Bob worked for two and a half years in Livestock Marketing at North Dakota State University, Fargo. He moved on to Professor of Agriculture Economics at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. Bob was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, university intermural sports, Toastmasters and served on the local planning board. After 16 years in Laramie, Bob joined the University of Idaho as District Extension Director in 1991. Bob retired in 2001 at 60 years old and was able to enjoy traveling and being more active in numerous organizations including the Lions, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Latah County 4-H, Idaho Democratic party, the Public-School Reading Program, and served as longstanding treasurer for AARP, NARFE and Chatcolab Northwest Leadership Laboratory. While active in many university and community programs, he was most proud of educational awards he received in research, extension and student selected teaching.
In 2019, Bob and Nel downsized to Boise to be closer to family. He loved spending time with his family and was enormously proud of his children, their spouses and grandchildren. He was an avid outdoorsman, reader, pie baker and tinkerer — including rebuilding two vintage tractors. Playing guitar and reciting old stories and songs for his children and grandchildren brought them all much joy. Taking his grandchildren fishing, including into remote Canada, over many summers was always a favorite activity.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents; and grandson, Colby Schumann.
He leaves behind his wife of 56 years, Nel; son Brian (Dawn) of Laramie, Wyo.; daughter, Betsy (Zac Fink) of Boise; and four grandchildren: Benjamin Carver, Taylor Schumann, Vivienne and Genevieve Fink; sister Billea (Fred); brothers George (Elinor), Gary (Shirley), Chuck (Ginger), Don (Joy), and Larry (Shelly).
Special thanks to all our family and friends who have reached out during this time and to Treasure Valley Hospice for the care they took for our family. He was deeply loved and will be remembered as a good and kind man.
