Robert Bruce Leishman

Robert Bruce Leishman
Our sweet, attentive and funny Robert Bruce Leishman passed away peacefully on January 26, 2025, at the age of 84, due to renal failure.
Bob was the fourth child born to Robert and Verna Elvera Leishman on November 2,1940 in Seattle, Washington, where he lived nearly all of his life. He was the youngest brother to Wallace, Vera, and Joyce all who preceded him in death.
Bob graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1959, where for a time, he was a yell leader, hoisting the cheerleaders overhead. At the age of 19, Bob was called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the people of Northern Brazil. He served two and a half years and loved the people dearly.
After returning from his mission, Kathleen Hope Lindgren and Bob were introduced by his father and married in 1963 in the Idaho Falls LDS temple.
Between the years of 1966 -1972, Bob was drafted into the US Navy during the Vietnam war, stationed on the USS Hancock aircraft carrier. His duties included overseeing the management of air craft maintenance.
Kathy and Bob had 5 daughters, Stacey Holm, Rebecca Smith, Stephanie Gardner, Heather Owen and Noelle Tomco. Rebecca and Noelle preceded him in death. After the death of Kathy, Bob married Karen Tame who has shared his life for nearly 40 years, bringing her son, Jeff, to the family.
During his employed years, Bob changed interests such as owning his Leishman Dental Laboratory, sales of Jelenko lab equipment, followed by working for Egghead Software then Snohomish County as a software instructor before retiring in 2010.
He was known for his wit, friendliness, and superior repertoire of Dad jokes. One of Bob’s hobbies was target shooting and loading his own ammunition in his garage. His good friend Ross Morris is one of 4 friends gathered to the range for guys’ day out. What was remarkable, Bob was legally blind due to macular degeneration yet he continued to shoot hand guns with the target 15 ft away.
Bob was a lifelong devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, holding various leadership positions and singing in the choir, as he had the most beautiful baritone voice. He was a self-taught musician as well, playing the guitar, violin, piano, dulcimer and ukulele. His daughters, followed by grandchildren, loved for him to play his original “Fast and Slow” song on the piano, speeding up as he went, sending the kids into a frenzy of laughter and dancing.
We will remember Bob’s wonderful life with services held on Saturday, February 8th, at the LDS Bothell Stake Center, 16500 124th Ave NE, Woodinville, WA 98072. The viewing is at 10am, funeral following at 12pm. On Monday, Feb 10th, at 1 pm, a military service and dedication of the grave will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery 18600 SE 240th St, Kent, WA 98042.
Here is the link to Bob’s funeral service on Zoom:
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When I think of my sweet Uncle
Bob, it brings a smile to my face. He always made you smile and laugh. One thing I will always remember is the snapping of his fingers he learned on his mission. I will miss him for all that he was: faithful, friendly, loving, and most of all Christlike. I’ll miss you! Til we meet again!
I can imagine Bob walking through the “Pearly Gates” and receiving a beautiful, loving hug from our Savior…The Savior and all those loving family members there to greet Bob will undoubtably be honored and elated to have Bob back in their presence….I can see that big ol’ “Bob smile” lighting up Heaven just like it did here on Earth! Our Love is with Karen and the girls as they, like all of us, will greatly miss him.
Till we meet again Uncle Bob!
The “Utah” Petersons
I loved being in Leishman’s ward. Bob was ward music leader, and I played the organ. He would request Hymn 82 “For All the Saints” which I found very difficult to do. But he would express his faith that I could do it so I’d work hard. The next year he would ask again and again it would be just as much hard work. He added so much to our choir with his voice and his violin. He was so refreshing in ward council. Sometimes it took me a minute to figure out that what he had just said was dry humor, appropriate, and funny. Also, he was such an understanding patient man in gleaner group. Condolences to the whole family.
Sally Graham