Obituary

obert Randolph Gore, 90, died peacefully at the Ketchikan Pioneer Home on Nov. 7, 2018.
Bob was born in Ketchikan, Alaska, on June 6, 1928, the second child of Judge Lester O. Gore and Irene du Hamel Gore. Aside from two years in Nome, Alaska, while his father was serving as a territorial court judge, Bob grew up in Ketchikan with his brother and sisters, enjoying the woods and waters of southeast Alaska. He graduated Ketchikan High School in 1946 and then attended Redlands University and Willamette University, graduating in 1950.
Bob's summers held the fondest memories for him and he often recounted tales of working the fish traps, packing salmon at the Burnett Inlet Cannery, and working aboard the F/V Anita and the F/V Barron F. In his 20s, a congenital intracranial birthmark began to cause intense headaches and mobility issues, putting an end to both his summers on the ocean and to his law school studies. A successful neurosurgical procedure, followed by a trip to the Catholic shrine of Lourdes in France, eased some of the symptoms of his condition. Bob then moved into the insurance industry, working at and eventually managing the Charles Insurance Agency, which later merged with Porter-Spaulding Insurance.
In 1958, Bob married Elinore Birkholz of Minoqua, Wis., and together they raised three daughters, Mary Gabrielle, Jennifer Adele and Anne Marie.
In 1968, Bob was appointed by then-Gov. Walter J. Hickel to join the newly-formed Pioneer Home Advisory Board. He would remain a member under six more administrations, traveling throughout the state representing the interests of Alaska's elderly for nearly 30 years. Bob was the force that ensured ketchikan would have a local Pioneer Home and in 1981, the doors of the Ketchikan Pioneer Home were opened.
He was involved with the Ketchikan Public Library and Holy Name Catholic Church and School when his daughters were young. Library visits every Saturday to check out stacks of books for the coming week and Sunday pancake breakfasts at the Moose Lodge after Mass remain collective and beloved memories for his girls, along with Sunday drives singing the old family songs such as "Mares Eat Oats and Does Eat Oats," "Good Morning, Mr. Zip-Zip-Zip," and "Cocaine Sally and Morphine Sue."
Bob was equally proud of both his English and Irish heritage. He was quick to inform all that on the English side, the family lineage in Alaska could be traced back to Captain John Gore, who sailed with Captain Cook aboard the HMS Resolution in 1778; and that on the Irish side, the family hailed from County Clare and "didn't spring from kings, but at them." He was the repository for countless family legends, shaggy dog stories and "Gore yokes," and he was an amazing whistler.
Bob moved into the Ketchikan Pioneer Home in 2001, where he received attentive care from their wonderful and dedicated staff. Having literally written "A Matter of Rights" (the Pioneer Home residents' rights and responsibilities manual), he continued to advocate for all present - most notably himself, especially when it came to provision of second desserts. He was especially fond of the homemade bread, and once he smelled the aroma wafting down the halls, Bob could be found parked in his wheelchair outside the kitchen door, waiting for a special delivery direct from Shin, the baker.
Of the many accomplishments in his life, Bob was most proud of his three girls, his three baby bears. "All cooks, no deckhands," he would say upon introducing them. He was one of their biggest cheerleaders in life and reminded them they could do and be whatever they wanted, always. He loved making his homemade special-sauce spaghetti dinners for them (following his mother's golden rule of only cooking with wine good enough to drink). He equally loved taking them out for special Mattle's Drive In hamburger nights. Bob loved his girls and his last moments on earth were filled with stories of them.
Bob is survived by his beloved daughters, Mary Gore (Bryan) Schroder, Anne Gore all of Anchorage and Jennifer Gore Dwyer of Kenmore, Wash.; his grandchildren, Brenna Dwyer of Bozeman, Mont, Sean (Bri) Dwyer of Mountlake Terrace, Wash., Jack Schroder of Anchorage, and Tate and Luka Hart and their father, David Hart all of Anchorage. He is also survived by his sister, Nancy Gore (Frank) Murkowski of Wrangell and Palm Desert, Calif., his former wife, Elinore Jacobsen of Ketchikan; and by many nieces and nephews in Alaska, across the U.S. and abroad.
Bob looked forward to being greeted in heaven by his parents; his older brother, Charles Millard Gore; his younger sister, Diane "DD" Gore; and his son-in-law, Patrick Dwyer.