Obituary of Robert James Friedhoff

Robert James Friedhoff April 18, 1927 - January 21,2014 Bob was born in Portland Oregon to George and Loretta Friedhoff on April 18, 1927. He attended Sacred Heart Elementary and received a scholarship to Columbia Prep High School, graduating in 1945. Bob moved to Connecticut to attend the Coast Guard prep school and then entered the Coast Guard Academy. He was on the boxing, basketball and football teams at the Academy and graduated in 1950. Bob was assigned to a Coast Guard ship operating out of Tacoma, WA as their gunnery officer with the rank of ensign. During his tour of duty in Tacoma, Bob met a beautiful nurse named Rosemary Bader who he married in November of 1952. Bob left the Coast Guard after several years and began work as a Naval Architect at the Bremerton, WA shipyard. Rosemary and Bob had five children in Bremerton before moving the family to Vienna, VA in 1966 where Bob began a fast rise through the ranks of the U.S. civil service supporting the U.S. Navy. At the same time, he served as an officer in the Coast Guard Reserve where he reached the rank of Commander. In recognition of Bob’s work for the US nuclear guided cruiser fleet, the USS California’s commanding officer named the ship’s library after him. Bob and Rosemary traveled extensively while raising their children and helping all five of them get through college. Bob retired in 1987 and his wife Rosemary died in 1990. Two years later he married Beulah (Boots) Friedhoff, the recent widow of Bob's brother Joe who had also died two years prior. Bob and Boots settled in Portland, OR where they have been active in the Sacred Heart parish and the Mirabella retirement community. Bob (Papa) was a great husband, father, grand-father, great-grand-father, uncle and friend. He is survived by his wife- Boots; sister- Ann Marie; daughters- Dianne and Kathy; sons- Robert, John and Jerry; step-children- Janet, Dan, Jim and Jeff; 14 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Services will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Portland on Monday Jan. 27, 2014. Rosary– 9:30 a.m., Funeral Mass– 10:00 a.m. Memorial Contributions may be made in Lieu of Flowers to; OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, Mail Stop 45, PO Box 4000, Portland, Oregon 97208-9852 or Call 503-494-3607 or go on-line to make your donation. Service Information