Doris Jean Kilgore Bobbink

Doris Jean Kilgore Bobbink was born May 20th, 1925 to George Lee Kilgore and Linnea Henderson Kilgore at home near Blaine, WA. Mom passed on October 11th, 2018 under wonderful care at the Hospice House.

Mom, the youngest of six children, lived her whole life in the Blaine area, graduating from BHS in 1943. She met our dad, Berend (Bob) Bobbink of Lynden, when she fell roller-skating and dad helped her to her feet. World War II was raging when Mom bravely traveled alone (the beginning of her love of travel?) to Army Air Corp base, Corsicana Texas to marry Dad. Following the war they returned to Blaine to raise their family.

Mom was Secretary of Blaine Elementary for many years. She was an avid gardener, loved to dance, (including on skates with Dad), and asserted she was the better dancer of the two, skates or no skates! Mom danced up to the end. During her trip to Mexico this past winter (at 92), mom wowed the crowd and band, as she strutted her stuff with the party’s host at the age of 92.

Mom was a third generation Whatcom resident, the daughter of pioneer stock. Living through the depression, mom knew how to work hard, waste not, and put her pretty Swedish, Scottish, Irish head into the wind of circumstance and with a no fuss determination press forward toward a better future.

There are many ways to describe the person we knew as mom, grandma, great grandma and friend. A friend spoke of mom’s vivacity, which we had to look up. It means “the quality of being attractively lively and animated!” Vivacity is the perfect word to describe mom. One of the great-grandkids noted her lively twinkling eyes and her ability to be “funny, sweet and “sassy” –– not in the impolite sense, but in a bold, animated and spirited way!

Mom had a delightful sense of humor and a contagious laugh. She was always an eager learner, an avid reader, with an unflagging curiosity about the world around her. She was a fine conversationalist and while it could be said she was rather opinionated –– no one suggested that she was boring or boorish. As one of her grandkids put it, ‘she knew her mind and seemed never afraid to share it.’

Mom was preceded in death by dad, and son Stephen. She is survived by her sons Michael (Carol) Bobbink, Brady (Shirley) Bobbink and daughter Lynn (Chuck) Minerich. She was grandma to Stefany, Stacy, Elisa, Maia, Jesse, Micah, Matthew, Seth and Brittany. She was great-grandma to Megan, Madison, Ella, Isaac, Cole, Isaias, Britton, Adelia, Audra, Eli, and Finn.