Robert I. Will

1925 - 2019

Robert I. Will

Robert (Bob) Ide Will died peacefully at his Seattle home on October 14, 2019. Ninety-four years old, he enjoyed every stage of his life to the fullest. He was an Olympic athlete, a successful businessman, and the patriarch of a large and loving family.

Bob was born on April 20, 1925 in Seattle, the second son to Cameron Grey and Margaret Ide Will. Boyhood summers were spent at the family cabin on Camano Island where he enjoyed camping, hiking and scouting. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1943 and the University of Washington in 1949. From 1943 to 1945, he flew B-17s in the Army Air Corps.

As a UW freshman, Bob turned out for crew, and in 1948 he was one of four oarsmen chosen to represent the United States at the London Olympic Games. In England the crew was coached by renowned boat-builder, George Pocock. On August 9, the UW four defeated the Swiss team to win the gold medal. They returned home heroes and were paraded through downtown Seattle with a police escort.

Bob began his career as a banker, but in 1959 he was restless and wanted to step out on his own. Gambling on a little-known brand, Volkswagen, he bought a tiny dealership in the University District. With the phenomenal success of the VW Beetle in the 1960s, the business grew and eventually evolved into two of Seattle's leading dealerships: University Volkswagen and Audi Seattle.

On July 9, 1949, Bob married Mary Rolfe, also of Seattle. Together they enjoyed 67 years of adventure, travel, and true love. They had five children: Anne, Rob, Wendy, Rolfe, and Mark. In the 1960s, Bob built a cabin on the beach at Camano where the family spent many lively summers. Bob loved boating and eventually bought land in Desolation Sound, where the family built a rustic cabin for camping. He and Mary owned a 49-foot cruiser that they took as far as Alaska and around Vancouver Island. He also remained an enthusiastic pilot and owned several aircraft.

From the Galapagos Islands to the Serengeti, Bob and Mary were enthusiastic travelers. They visited every continent and especially enjoyed touring in Britain. They rode motorbikes on the Baja, boated through the Panama Canal, and rafted down the Grand Canyon. An avid reader, Bob also loved working with his hands. After retiring, he built his own open-cockpit plane. In his 80s he took up woodworking, making elegant wooden bowls and plates.

Bob was predeceased in 2016 by his beloved wife Mary. He is survived by his five children, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

A celebration of his life will be

held at 1:00 on Saturday, November 9, at the ASUW Shell

House on the lake where he spent so

many happy hours as a young man.