Robert “Bob” Earl Fillman peacefully passed away, surrounded by his family on the 30th of August 2024 in Renfrew Victoria Hospital. He was 85 years old.

Bob was the much-loved son of Earl (late) and Beatrice (late) and the beloved husband of the late Deanne (Miller). He was the loving father of Terry (late), Larry (late) and Leslie (late). He will be dearly missed by his youngest daughter Christine (Darren) and his grandchildren, William, and Isabel. Bob will be fondly missed by his sister Phyllis (Ray) and his brother Don (Kathleen). He will be remembered by his in-laws, David (Margaret), Richard (Carollyne) and Suzanne. Bob was the proud uncle and friend to Mark (Lynn). He was uncle also to Stuart, Rodney and Emma Fillman plus David, Steven, Rachel, and Kimberlee from Deanne’s family.

Beginning in Overbrook, Ottawa, he lived an extraordinary life. Growing up with his parents, Earl and Beatrice, and siblings, Phyllis, and Don, he loved to play pranks on his sister and enjoyed fishing with his brother. He had a childhood and adolescence filled with adventure and he stood out as a talented swimmer, winning many awards. He lived for the summers at Lake Clear with his family, and on one occasion, he saved the life of a struggling swimmer. As a youth, Bob enjoyed helping farmers during the summer months.

After completing school, he joined the Canadian Armed Forces dedicating twenty years to proudly serve his country. As a paratrooper, he demonstrated bravery by jumping from helicopters and later entertained his grandchildren with his stories. Bob also served as a bomb disposal expert and peacekeeper for the United Nations for which he received medals for bravery during his service in Cyprus and the Middle East. Following his military service, Bob had a second career at Haley Industries as a stock controller and stores manager.

In retirement, Bob explored his artistic talents excelling in the craft of woodwork. Using a scroll saw he created beautiful, intricate designs and regularly sold his work at local craft markets with the help of his wife Deanne. His artistry even caught the attention of CTV’s Regional Contact which featured him as a local artist.

Bob had a loving and long-lasting marriage of sixty years with Deanne, raising their children, together in Renfrew. Deanne unfortunately passed away in 2018. Bob was a loving grandfather to William and Isabel and had an active part in their lives despite them living thousands of miles away in England. Bob was a passionate Toronto Blue Jays fan and after initially cheering for the Montréal Canadiens, he latterly switched allegiance to the Ottawa Senators because Ottawa was his hometown.

His Christian faith was a large part of his life, and he was a proud member of his church board. Anyone who knew Bob would describe him as determined and he had an unmatched quick wit and incredible humour. Always ready with a joke, he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

A celebration of Bob’s life will take place on Saturday 12th October at Calvary Pentecostal Church in Renfrew at 11 am. All who knew Bob are welcome. There will be a reception at the church after the service.

There is place on the veteran’s memorial wall on the Zohr’s Funeral Home website (memorials.zohrfuneralhome.com) for anyone to leave any comments or photos they wish to share about Bob. There are also links to the Calvary Pentecostal Church and the Royal Canadian Legion for anyone who would like to make a donation in Bob’s memory.