Robert Max Bronson

Robert Max Bronson, ("Bamps" to his grandchildren) gathered the reins, stepped foot into the stirrup and swung his leg over his trusted mule BJ; together they have taken that final ride to the top of Black Pine Mountain. On a quiet Sunday morning, November 19, 2017, Bob joined his loved ones, family, and friends who had gone before. Those he left behind lost an all-time great Cassia County, Idaho, sheep and cattleman legend.

Bob came into this world on March 13, 1919, born to James Lewis Bronson and Alice Camila Lewis (both now living with our Heavenly Father). Brothers and sisters included Ruth Ione Bronson Fuller, Karl Lewis Bronson, Naomi Jean Bronson Judd, and youngest brother James Hyrum Bronson (all deceased), and his one living sister Merilyn Bronson Reeves, who resides in Oregon.

As a young U of I college man Bob fell in love and married Lucile Margaret Peacock on February 22, 1942, in Pocatello, Idaho.Two sons were born to this union: Robert Douglas Bronson (Bob, Jr.), born September 17, 1943, and Karl Jule Bronson, born November 26, 1944; both were outlived by their father. Lucile left her family on September 25, 1946, and is buried in the Pleasant View Cemetery. Mitsuko, Bob Jr's wife resides in the View Ward and is active in maintaining the day to day operation of Bronson Sheep, Cattle and Land LLT with their children Sean and Nik.

Bob married Melba Dean (Duffy) McPherson on February 14, 1948; to this marriage came a daughter, Kristien Bronson Kingma, on January 13, 1952 (James). Six years to the day, a son, Brent Rusty Bronson, was born on January 13, 1958 (Sandy). Along with raising their family, Bob and Duffy owned "Guys 'N Dolls, Tots thru Teens," a successful Burley business. They decided to go their separate ways; today, Duffy lives in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Jane Davis became Bob's wife on December 31, 1969; together they operated the family's sheep and cattle ranch. Jane was by his side for 47 years during the best and worst of times and was a huge asset to the lambing operation until her retirement earlier this year.

Bob enjoyed his five grandchildren: Sean Bronson and Nik Bronson Liddiard, Mitzi Lea Kingma Martin, Megan Pauline Vassen (Shannon), and Sydney Bronson. His five great grandchildren were a source of joy to him: Joshua Aiden, Khali Meadow, Anika Brooklyn, Ethan James, and Michael Tadashi.

His nephew, Tim Judd, lived with the family and attended Burley High School where he graduated and learned the ranching business first-hand from his Uncle Bob and Grandpa Jim. In Bob's later years they enjoyed long telephone conversations about ranching in the early days.

Bob also adored Tina Roberts of Paul, Idaho, and her family. Tina recorded much of Bob's history so the legends will live on for future generations. Preserving family history was very important to Bob.

Bob's dry sense of humor usually got the best of most who knew him. He loved to tell stories about spending summers as a youngster on Black Pine Mountain, herding cattle on his father's ranch in Box Elder County and tending sheep with his red-headed Granddad James Lewis Sr. and his brother Karl. He truly loved the land near the Idaho-Utah border where the Bronson's own 9,000 acres of rangeland. With the addition of piping water lines into a system of ponds, Bob Sr. and Bob Jr. were able to grow crested wheat grass, where only sagebrush and juniper trees had previously grown. In 1992, 1998, and again in 1999, the Bronson Sheep and Cattle Company was awarded the honor of "Grassmen of the Year" by the Idaho Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. On July 24, 2017, Bob and Jane were honored as the Grand Marshall's of the Oakley, Idaho Stake Pioneer Days Celebration. Bob enjoyed big game hunts and had assorted mounts from Alaska, the Northwest Territories and Canada displayed in the family home. Collecting and displaying farm and ranch antiques was a hobby enjoyed by father and eldest son Bob Jr. over the years.

The Bronson family's motto, "CONTINUING IN A PROUD IDAHO TRADITION" began in 1882 at Almo, Idaho, with Great Grandpa Bronson and will continue with the family values and love of the land which Robert Max Bronson instilled in his family and all who knew him. Bob's ashes will be buried at the family's Clear Creek Cemetery in Box Elder County, Utah, right up there on top of the mountains he loved and cared for so dearly.