Robert G. Ehnat
Robert (Bob) Ehnat was born in Tacoma, Washington on April 23, 1925 and passed away peacefully on February 17, 2015 at his home in Shoreline, in the company of his loving family. Son of Paul and Gladys Ehnat, he is survived by his wife Diane and his three children, Robert, Valerie (Patton) and Felicia (Persson), son-in-law Kevin Persson, his three granddaughters, Nicole and Courtney Persson and Sophia Patton, brother Walter and his wife Joanne, of Phoenix, Arizona and numerous nieces and nephews.
Bob served honorably in the Navy during WWII rising to the rank of Petty Officer First Class. While stationed at the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Oak Harbor, he met H. Diane Pravitz (then a high-school senior) at a USO dance in nearby, Coupeville. Following the end of the war, and his honorable discharge, he and Diane were married in Renton, Washington in 1947. That same year, Bob went to work for the Washington State Department of Agriculture. After 33 years of service with Washington State, Bob retired from his position as Chief Deputy Inspector for the state of Washington in 1980.
Bob and Diane began developing their interest in travel before his retirement; purchasing 
time shares in Hawaii and traveling to the South Pacific to visit friends in Fiji, and explore Australia and New Zealand. After retirement, they spent many months on the road with their travel trailer and later their motor home seeing the country, visiting friends and family and meeting new friends at every stop. One of their many adventures took them and their trailer on railroad cars through the Copper Canyon in Mexico.
Bob loved fishing and sharing his passion for fishing with friends and family. He had an unconventional style that couldn’t be taught or reproduced. Whether fishing salmon on Puget Sound, or the Columbia river or fishing for trout, bass or perch at Sun Lakes, his luck was renowned and sometimes, it seemed, his every cast blessed.
Traveler, fisherman, golfer and football fan, he was a loving husband, father and friend, and an incorrigible tease with a ready smile. He had an enduring sense of humor and a helping hand for those in need.
We will miss him.
A Celebration of Bob’s life will be held on Saturday, March 28th from 2PM to 4PM at The Pavilion at Tacoma Elks/Allenmore Golf and Event Center (2013 S Cedar St. Tacoma, Washington). The family invites you to share your memories of Bob here: http://www.bartonfuneral.com/category/obituaries A donation may be made in Bob’s memory to the American Lung Association (http://www.lung.org).
5 Responses to “Robert G. Ehnat”
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WE will remember the summer visits to Ellensburg, sharing drinks and stories and yes, his teasing! Hugs to Diane, Kids and Grandkids…HE will be missed, but suffers no more.
Lots of love, hope to see you on the 28th..
Bob gave me my first first job at the Department of Agriculture when I was a senior in high school. He wanted to hire students, becuase he was having trouble with regular workers falling asleep on the job. After graduating, I was hired full time, which funded my education at Seattle Central Community College. His son, Robert and I were classmates at Lincoln High school and friends to this day. I wish I had the opportunity to tell Bob the influence he had on my life. My deepest sympathies to the family.
I am sorry, but I am unable to attend Bob’s memorial since I will be out of town. Again, my sincere sympathies.
Bob was my godfather and seemed to me a bronze Adonis; he water skied, fished, made home brew and had a great sense of humor, things my dad didn’t.
When my toddler daughter and I washed up in Seattle in 1979, he gave me the best parenting advice a 23 year old single dad could get: “If you’ve got any real bad habits, give ’em up because she’ll find out about ’em and take her wherever you go”.
I hadn’t seen Bob for a number of years and recently at Robert’s house, Bob was sitting out on the patio. Now he had coke-bottle glasses and that thin, papery skin. I walked over to greet him and he looked up at me and said “Damn! You got old!”
Bob, I love you — thanks for being a big, classy part of my life.
I have had the privilege to have known Bob and Diane from a business relationship but it developed to a close friendship over the years. Every time I met with Bob he was always razzing me about my golf game, one day he came out with an old driver and 3 wood that he swore would fix anything that my golf game was lacking. God bless him, he was a special man. My thoughts and prayers go out to Diane and all the family.