Bobby Layman

Bobby Don Layman was born January 1, 1927 in Rayville, Missouri to Joseph Albert Layman and Lena Ruth Austin. On September 28, 2018 he passed away at the Boulder Community Hospital in Boulder, Colorado. While attending the Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Missouri (1943), Bobby enlisted in the Navy V-12 Program in the Air Flight division. The Navy sent him to Park College, then to Iowa State University for Pre-Flight School. After two years (1945) the war was over and he returned to Missouri for Pre-Dentistry at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. After graduation Bobby opened his first Dental practice in Camdenton, Missouri. In 1959 when Alaska became a state, he drove to Alaska and took the Alaska Dental Board. At this time Bobby discovered some of the people in small and remote towns weren’t able to see a dentist and began his “Bush” Dentistry practice (fieldwork in isolated locations). He also began his Dental practice in Anchorage, Alaska and later in Honolulu, Hawaii as well. He belonged to the Rotary Club and Jaycees in both Alaska and Hawaii. After leaving Oahu, Hawaii, Bobby spent 20 years in the quaint town of Pahoa on “The Big Island”. He practiced dentistry and ran the office there with his wife Mary. He enjoyed the serene lifestyle in Pahoa, while affording many people dentistry, whom needed it. Due to his health in 2013, he moved to Colorado with his wife Mary and spent his last five years with his family there. Bobby was truly one of a kind, and the most interesting man to everyone he met. He certainly loved teaching people about good health. Bobby trained and ran the Mount Marathon Race in Seward, Alaska, the Boston Marathon in Massachusetts, the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii, and several local races over the years. His passion for nutrition and natural, alternative medicine was well before his time. He lived a long life by these standards, literally until the day he passed. A most important goal in his life was to teach his children (and everyone who would listen) about nutrition, exercise, and perseverance. A favorite hobby Bobby loved to explore was his fascination with gold mining. He made many attempts in panning for gold and treasure hunting. A dream of his was to find hidden treasures in the sea or on land. On another spectrum, he also loved to question the mysteries behind extraterrestrial life and what things might be like beyond life here on Earth. (“And Yet They Fly” was one of his favorite books on the subject). Bobby mentioned recently when asked by his children about a bucket list item, that he wanted to take a ride on the Royal Gorge Railroad. As his health quickly declined, he was just as pleased instead, to take the more convenient trip on the beautiful Georgetown Loop Railroad, which Laura and Elania fulfilled for him just this year. Very important also to Bobby was his dedication to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Church. His daughter Donna and her family played a big role in helping him discover his fondness for his faith. It gave him more peace and joy, especially in his later years. Bobby is survived by all eight of his children: three children (wife Dorothy Seek ) Gregory Layman, Donna Gillies, and Joline Cantu, one child (wife Patricia Tackitt) Lisa Staniforth, and four children (wife Mary Helen Woodby) Lena Armstrong, Laura Aigner, Elania Layman, Joseph Layman, his two brothers, Eugene Layman (wife Mary) and Jack Layman (wife Jessamine) and several grandchildren and great grandchildren ( Bobby loved to boast about the number of grandchildren he had). He was preceded in death by his wife Mary and his parents. He helped many people during his lifetime and will be missed by all. If you would like to make a donation please send it to Elania Layman, 4801 South Wadsworth Blvd., Apt 7-302, Littleton, CO. 80123 or email address [email protected].