Robert (Bob) Pfaltz
1963 - 2015
Bob Pfaltz was an independent spirit with a kind and generous soul. His high school vehicles were a pickup truck and a motorcycle. His band played at some memorable events with him behind the drums. A leader of several high school ski trips, his passion for the slopes drew him to Grand Tarquee Mountain, WY where he became a member of the ski patrol and established an avalanche search and rescue operation with his German Shepherd, Malchai, the wonder dog.
He formed Northwood Carpenters in Clinton, New Jersey, and Mahogany Ridge Craftsman in Victor, Idaho, where he settled and built a shop which made custom wood doors. His love for the outdoors and wilderness exploration lured him into gold panning which he said “was more about the search than the gold.”
He made friends for life. For sure he would have been at the 40th Summit High School reunion catching up with everybody, especially his Franklin School gang.
We miss him. He was fun!
Marilyn Pfaltz
Bob was born March 6, 1963, to Hugo and Marilyn Pfaltz in Summit, New Jersey.
Bob’s complete attraction to the great outdoors was cultivated at an early age, first as a camper and later as a counselor at Camp Langskib in northern Canada.
He attended Sierra College in Rocklin, California, and migrated west during the 1980s. It was here, in the shadow of the Teton mountains, that Bob felt complete peace and a true sense of home.
In addition to Bob’s formidable woodworking and home-building skills, he enjoyed a rich career for many years as a professional ski patroller at Grand Targhee Resort and was integral to the development of the resort’s canine avalanche program, GTK9. He was also an enthusiastic drummer, and he relished his time through the years making music with various groups, in particular the “ski patrol band,” which entertained at numerous Teton Valley functions.
Bob was game for anything outdoors; his adventures included surfing and gold panning. In 2012 Bob met his true love, Jennifer McCormack, of Victor, and they married in September 2013 at Bob’s childhood home in New Jersey. Their recent adventures as a couple included extended trips to Mexico complete with Spanish lessons, cooking classes, surfing and simply enjoying life with each other.
He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Pfaltz, of Victor; his parents Hugo and Marilyn Pfaltz, of Summit, New Jersey; siblings William (Ami) Pfaltz and Beth (Christopher) Welsh; nephews John, Bryan and Todd; aunt and uncle Margaret and John Pfaltz; and cousins Cynthia Muir, Christopher Muir, James Muir, Amy Pfaltz, Kay Pfaltz, Ted Pfaltz and their families.
Bob was recognized to be a kind and loving soul by everyone who knew him; he will be greatly missed.