Robert "Bob" Hoag

Robert Francis Hoag Jr. Oct. 19, 1921-June 7, 2015 HEBER CITY, Utah Robert Francis Hoag Jr. died peacefully in his sleep Sunday, June 7, 2015, in Heber City, Utah. He was 93 years old. Bob was born in Tully, N.Y., on Oct. 19, 1921. As a young man he enlisted in the Army and served in World War II. He was a sergeant in the 782nd Bomb Squad and was deployed in North Africa and Italy. After the war, he graduated in forestry from Syracuse University and moved west for a distinguished 37-year career in the Forest Service. Bob loved and respected the beauty of mountains, lakes and forests, dedicating his career to preserving pristine areas in Idaho, California and Utah. He contributed to the 1967 Wilderness Act, developed recreational areas, trails and campgrounds, and worked extensively in planning ski areas including Sun Valley's Bald Mountain. In the earlier stages of his career from 1949 to 1957, Bob worked as a snow ranger at Utah's Alta and Brighton ski areas, using his military experience to deploy avalanche control ammunition. A highlight of his career was representing the Toiyabe National Forest in planning and coordinating the 1960 Winter Olympic Games in Squaw Valley, Calif., and Reno, Nev. Also in 1960, he met and married Mary Miller, his wife of 55 years, and the couple relocated to Twin Falls, where Bob served 21 years in the Sawtooth National Forest before retiring in 1986. His position with recreation and lands made him well known in the southern Idaho ski industry. Bob was an athlete who lettered in three sports during high school. He was a beautiful skier, a sport he enjoyed into his 80's, as well as a champion tennis player in Twin Falls, amassing an impressive collection of trophies with his beloved Mary. He enjoyed water skiing at Bear Lake, Utah, with his family and attending ice shows at Sun Valley. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and Lions Club and was a National Forest volunteer. Bob is survived by his sister, Helen Williams of Tully, N.Y.; sister, Margret Arcement of Lake Charles, La.; daughter, Teresa Lane (husband, Wylie) of Heber City, Utah; daughter, Susie Davis (husband, Glenn) of Napa, Calif.; and granddaughter, Jolie, also of Napa. A service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, at Parke's Magic Valley Funeral Home. Online condolences can be submitted to www.magicvalleyfuneralhome.com. "In wildness is the preservation of the world." (Henry David Thoreau).