Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) - Monday, July 23, 2007
Robert Ledford carried his passion for racing pigeons to great heights The White Bear Township man won national titles and involved his whole family in his love for the sport.
Pigeons first took Robert Ledford's fancy when he was a child growing up in northeast Minneapolis.
Ledford would collect them from buildings, bridges and signposts. And for much of his life he would race them, winning national contests.
Ledford, who also raced dirt bikes in the 1960s, died of pneumonia on July 13 in Maplewood.
The White Bear Township resident was 65.
"I wish more people and the public will come to see the racing homer not as a dirty bird, but as an intelligent, smart and beautiful bird that saved many lives during World War I and II," Leford said in an article profiling him in the July 1, 2007, Racing Pigeon Digest.
While he spent many hours training, providing medical attention and racing the birds, he always involved the family, said his wife, Dee.
On weekend training sessions, his many foster kids would join him for the training flight and a picnic while his wife would log and time the birds' arrival at their loft near White Bear Lake.
Ledford said in the Digest report that his pigeon Bob was his favorite because Dee named and handled the bird.
He raced birds for 34 years, winning national events in 1983, and placing high in 1992, his wife added.
Ledford, a retired machinist, and his wife served as foster parents for 24 years.
For a dozen years, especially in the 1960s, he raced in professional motocross and hill-climbing events around the Upper Midwest, said his wife.
Ledford raced pigeons until 2004 when "illness took him away from the game," said Dee.
In addition to his wife of 39 years, he is survived by two foster children at home, Alan and Jeremy.
Services have been held.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) - Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Ledford, Robert P. "Bob"
Ledford, Robert P. "Bob" Born Feb. 21, 1942, passed away on July 13, 2007.
Bob was an avid pigeon flyer for 34 years. Survived by wife, Dee; brothers-in-law, Tom (Marlyse), Ben, Arnie (Chrissy), Joe (Theresa); sisters-in-law, Donna (Terry), Mary (Paul); foster sons, Alan and Jeremy; other special people in his life, T.J., Mark, Chris, John and Cece; many other friends and loved ones. Interment Hillside Cemetery. Memorial visitation 11 AM - 3 PM Saturday, July 21, 2007 at: Washburn-McReavy Hillside Chapel 612-781-1999 2610 19th Ave. NE
Robert Ledford carried his passion for racing pigeons to great heights The White Bear Township man won national titles and involved his whole family in his love for the sport.
Pigeons first took Robert Ledford's fancy when he was a child growing up in northeast Minneapolis.
Ledford would collect them from buildings, bridges and signposts. And for much of his life he would race them, winning national contests.
Ledford, who also raced dirt bikes in the 1960s, died of pneumonia on July 13 in Maplewood.
The White Bear Township resident was 65.
"I wish more people and the public will come to see the racing homer not as a dirty bird, but as an intelligent, smart and beautiful bird that saved many lives during World War I and II," Leford said in an article profiling him in the July 1, 2007, Racing Pigeon Digest.
While he spent many hours training, providing medical attention and racing the birds, he always involved the family, said his wife, Dee.
On weekend training sessions, his many foster kids would join him for the training flight and a picnic while his wife would log and time the birds' arrival at their loft near White Bear Lake.
Ledford said in the Digest report that his pigeon Bob was his favorite because Dee named and handled the bird.
He raced birds for 34 years, winning national events in 1983, and placing high in 1992, his wife added.
Ledford, a retired machinist, and his wife served as foster parents for 24 years.
For a dozen years, especially in the 1960s, he raced in professional motocross and hill-climbing events around the Upper Midwest, said his wife.
Ledford raced pigeons until 2004 when "illness took him away from the game," said Dee.
In addition to his wife of 39 years, he is survived by two foster children at home, Alan and Jeremy.
Services have been held.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) - Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Ledford, Robert P. "Bob"
Ledford, Robert P. "Bob" Born Feb. 21, 1942, passed away on July 13, 2007.
Bob was an avid pigeon flyer for 34 years. Survived by wife, Dee; brothers-in-law, Tom (Marlyse), Ben, Arnie (Chrissy), Joe (Theresa); sisters-in-law, Donna (Terry), Mary (Paul); foster sons, Alan and Jeremy; other special people in his life, T.J., Mark, Chris, John and Cece; many other friends and loved ones. Interment Hillside Cemetery. Memorial visitation 11 AM - 3 PM Saturday, July 21, 2007 at: Washburn-McReavy Hillside Chapel 612-781-1999 2610 19th Ave. NE
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) - Monday, July 23, 2007
Robert Ledford carried his passion for racing pigeons to great heights The White Bear Township man won national titles and involved his whole family in his love for the sport.
Pigeons first took Robert Ledford's fancy when he was a child growing up in northeast Minneapolis.
Ledford would collect them from buildings, bridges and signposts. And for much of his life he would race them, winning national contests.
Ledford, who also raced dirt bikes in the 1960s, died of pneumonia on July 13 in Maplewood.
The White Bear Township resident was 65.
"I wish more people and the public will come to see the racing homer not as a dirty bird, but as an intelligent, smart and beautiful bird that saved many lives during World War I and II," Leford said in an article profiling him in the July 1, 2007, Racing Pigeon Digest.
While he spent many hours training, providing medical attention and racing the birds, he always involved the family, said his wife, Dee.
On weekend training sessions, his many foster kids would join him for the training flight and a picnic while his wife would log and time the birds' arrival at their loft near White Bear Lake.
Ledford said in the Digest report that his pigeon Bob was his favorite because Dee named and handled the bird.
He raced birds for 34 years, winning national events in 1983, and placing high in 1992, his wife added.
Ledford, a retired machinist, and his wife served as foster parents for 24 years.
For a dozen years, especially in the 1960s, he raced in professional motocross and hill-climbing events around the Upper Midwest, said his wife.
Ledford raced pigeons until 2004 when "illness took him away from the game," said Dee.
In addition to his wife of 39 years, he is survived by two foster children at home, Alan and Jeremy.
Services have been held.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) - Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Ledford, Robert P. "Bob"
Ledford, Robert P. "Bob" Born Feb. 21, 1942, passed away on July 13, 2007.
Bob was an avid pigeon flyer for 34 years. Survived by wife, Dee; brothers-in-law, Tom (Marlyse), Ben, Arnie (Chrissy), Joe (Theresa); sisters-in-law, Donna (Terry), Mary (Paul); foster sons, Alan and Jeremy; other special people in his life, T.J., Mark, Chris, John and Cece; many other friends and loved ones. Interment Hillside Cemetery. Memorial visitation 11 AM - 3 PM Saturday, July 21, 2007 at: Washburn-McReavy Hillside Chapel 612-781-1999 2610 19th Ave. NE
Robert Ledford carried his passion for racing pigeons to great heights The White Bear Township man won national titles and involved his whole family in his love for the sport.
Pigeons first took Robert Ledford's fancy when he was a child growing up in northeast Minneapolis.
Ledford would collect them from buildings, bridges and signposts. And for much of his life he would race them, winning national contests.
Ledford, who also raced dirt bikes in the 1960s, died of pneumonia on July 13 in Maplewood.
The White Bear Township resident was 65.
"I wish more people and the public will come to see the racing homer not as a dirty bird, but as an intelligent, smart and beautiful bird that saved many lives during World War I and II," Leford said in an article profiling him in the July 1, 2007, Racing Pigeon Digest.
While he spent many hours training, providing medical attention and racing the birds, he always involved the family, said his wife, Dee.
On weekend training sessions, his many foster kids would join him for the training flight and a picnic while his wife would log and time the birds' arrival at their loft near White Bear Lake.
Ledford said in the Digest report that his pigeon Bob was his favorite because Dee named and handled the bird.
He raced birds for 34 years, winning national events in 1983, and placing high in 1992, his wife added.
Ledford, a retired machinist, and his wife served as foster parents for 24 years.
For a dozen years, especially in the 1960s, he raced in professional motocross and hill-climbing events around the Upper Midwest, said his wife.
Ledford raced pigeons until 2004 when "illness took him away from the game," said Dee.
In addition to his wife of 39 years, he is survived by two foster children at home, Alan and Jeremy.
Services have been held.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) - Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Ledford, Robert P. "Bob"
Ledford, Robert P. "Bob" Born Feb. 21, 1942, passed away on July 13, 2007.
Bob was an avid pigeon flyer for 34 years. Survived by wife, Dee; brothers-in-law, Tom (Marlyse), Ben, Arnie (Chrissy), Joe (Theresa); sisters-in-law, Donna (Terry), Mary (Paul); foster sons, Alan and Jeremy; other special people in his life, T.J., Mark, Chris, John and Cece; many other friends and loved ones. Interment Hillside Cemetery. Memorial visitation 11 AM - 3 PM Saturday, July 21, 2007 at: Washburn-McReavy Hillside Chapel 612-781-1999 2610 19th Ave. NE
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