Robert Mason Bedient

Robert Mason Bedient died at home in Easton, MD on Thursday, October 16, 2008. Robert, known as Bob, was born in Elgin, Illinois, July 3, 1947, while his parents, Margaret Mason Bedient and Harold Arthur Bedient, were living on the Mason family farm near Elgin. As a child and young adult, Bob lived in Chicago, Maryland, Germany, Sweden, and Hawaii. He was graduated from Park College, Missouri, in 1969, with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, and served in the U.S. Army from 1969 until 1972, including a tour of duty in Vietnam, where he earned a Purple Heart. Bob’s first love was being on water, having grown up sailing on the Chesapeake Bay; his second love was travelling. After several years of searching for just the right profession for himself, he found his true passion working as a riverboat pilot on the Upper Mississippi and its tributaries—including the Illinois, Ohio, Upper Mississippi, and Missouri. His most recent employer was Marquette Transportation LLC; he was on the river as late as August of this year. River boat pilots spend a month on the river and a month off. During time off the river he loved to travel, spending lots of time in Cozumel, Mexico, where his good friends Dan and Karen Libbert run a charter sailing business; and visiting friends and relatives all over the United States and the world—Maine; St. Louis, Jefferson City, and Kansas City, Missouri; New Zealand; Illinois; Colorado; Maryland; Massachusetts; and many more places too numerous to name. He lived and planned to retire in the home he built on the Lake of the Ozarks in Rocky Mount, Missouri, from where he planned to sail, travel, and visit friends and family. Sadly, his life was cut too short by cancer, and he died at home, surrounded by family. He is survived by his siblings—Betsy (Aurora, Colorado), Bruce (Charlotte, North Carolina), Sue (Port Townsend, Washington), and Ann (Easton, Maryland) Bedient—along with numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, grand nephew and niece; and by the many members of the Libbert family of Missouri, in whose hearts he was deeply seated. A celebration of Bob’s life will be held on the Miles River, on the lawn in front of the Manor House at Calhoun MEBA School of Engineering, Easton, Maryland, at 5 pm on Saturday, October 18th. Friends and family are invited to the home of Ann Bedient after the service for a light supper and lots of singing. The family requests that no flowers be sent. Burial will be in the Fletcher family plot in Wayne, Illinois, at a later date. Memorial gifts can be made to the Talbot Hospice Foundation, 586 Cynwood Dr., Easton, MD 21601. Arrangements are by Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, P.A., Easton, MD.

Robert Mason Bedient

July 3, 1947 - October 16, 2008