Remembering Bob Mead

Bob Mead passed away early in November, 2011.  He is one of the people responsible for Oregon Region’s establishment as a club and for its growth and development during our early years and right on to the present. 

There are few people in life who make a lasting impression on each of us as we make the journey.  Bob was one of those individuals for many people.  Bob was a dedicated family man and leaves two daughters, Deanna and Susan and their families.  Dora, his wife, passed away several years ago.

It was the fall of 1963, or maybe some time in early 1964 that the fledgling Oregon Region, Sports Car Club of America, held its monthly meetings at the Keg and Platter right off I-5 at the Market Street Exit in Salem when many of us began to know Bob.  Oregon Region had only just begun to hold races at the Newport Airport.  During the following years we were lucky enough to get to know him much better and even help him with some of the SCCA activities he was involved in.  He was the original Loud Pedal Publisher, Editor, Reporter, Cartoonist and Photographer.  Bob was also a licensed Competition Driver.  Everyone enjoyed his sense of humor and benefited from his talents in each of those areas.  Bob’s most visible legacy is the Oregon Region Logo – the patch we all wear – it was his design.

We can thank Bob for the many years he produced the Loud Pedal and also for serving as one of our original Chief Stewards, as Regional Executive, as Deputy Executive Steward and for being a true mentor to many of us who have been with the Region since those early days of the ‘60’s and for many, many more right on into the current century.  Bob never stopped being a mentor throughout his time with the club and was active as a Steward until 2010.  He was well known throughout the Northern Pacific Division for his knowledge of the Club, the GCR, and for his fairness in dealing with everyone. 

While he was Regional Executive in the late ‘60’s and car counts for racing events were declining he was busy drawing up posters advertising “non-spectator events” (where you could purchase a “pit pass” for $5.00) and distributing them throughout the Salem, Portland and Corvallis areas as well as up and down the Coast.  His ingenuity and foresight kept the Region alive with the additional revenue.  He was also instrumental in Oregon Region becoming an active participant at what is now known as Portland International Raceway which also worked to keep the Region going.  There was a time, according to legend, that the Portland Rose Festival Association tried to place unacceptable conditions on the Regional/National weekend and Bob said ‘no’ to them and Oregon Region held their June 14^th weekend event at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington. 

While serving as Deputy Executive Steward Bob began recruiting new people into the specialty, wrote training outlines for the Region which were picked up and used nationally for Steward Training.  His understanding of the rules, his fairness, and his ability to listen and work with people made Oregon Region one of the friendliest Regions within the SCCA – a tradition which we are proud to continue.

Bob had many other facets which only a few of us may have been aware of.  He was head of the Oregon Department of Revenue Property Tax Mapping program.  The Department of Revenue is responsible for all the county assessor’s property tax mapping and maintenance of standards developed by the Department for accuracy and timely information.  Bob was the manager of that unit for many, many years.  He developed those rules and the manuals and training materials for use in training County Assessor mapping staff.  If the standards are not maintained, the Department of Revenue has the authority to assume the local program.  As the Mapping Unit Manager, Bob was instrumental in developing the first computer driven mapping system for property tax purposes in the country and for convincing the Legislature to adopt the program and fund the equipment.  He also published several books on Property Law and Cadastral Mapping as well as Property Appraisal techniques and standards.  He helped write legislation, worked with the Counties to make sure their local laws were in line with appropriate standards and provided research support in property mapping and appraisal to the Legislature for many years.

Bob was a Ham Radio enthusiast and operator throughout his life.  He excelled as a model builder – airplanes, cars, boats and ships.  He was particularly adept at building ships in bottles.  He also collected all sorts of things, including baseball cards, ceramic light house models and other interesting stuff that always decorated his home.  Bob was a musician – he taught himself to play the banjo and played the piano and trumpet.  He was an accomplished artist with both water color and oils and produced many exquisitely detailed paintings as a result of his training as a draftsman and mapmaker.  He also did works in the popular impressionistic style.  He was a boxer in the Navy and was stationed at Monterey where he bought his first sports car – a Crossle Hot Shot.  He later built one of the first Formula Vee’s to be raced here in the Northwest – a Form Car – that he raced at Newport, Portland, Oregon International Raceway at Eugene, Pacific Raceways in Kent, WA and Westwood in B.C.  In his spare time he was an astronomer and tended his own rose garden in the back yard on Fisher Road in Salem, including a unique hybrid rose which he developed.

Bob was a true renaissance man in an age that is far more concerned about “what have you done for me lately” – he was a true friend to many and always a mentor who would allow you to make mistakes and learn from them while you were under his wing.  At the same time he wouldn’t ever let you run out of rope and get jerked off your feet but he sure could let you know when you were getting close to the edge.

Our friend, while your passing is a sad event, you will always live in each of our hearts for the many ways you have touched our lives.