Robert (Bob) Joseph Vandeventer

A longtime resident and Cleveland businessman, photographer Robert Joseph VanDeventer died Sunday, October 16, 2016 at the age of 80 years old.
Bob was well-known in the area for his artful eye and gentle spirit, and he rarely was seen without a smile. His photography captured generations of moments in time for area families.

The son of Ralph Orean and Etta Mae (Tate) VanDeventer, Bob was born at home on July 25, 1936 in Morrison, Oklahoma. He grew up in Morrison, attending Sumner School and then graduating from Morrison High with the Class of 1954.

While in school, Bob was on the basketball team. At a time when college coaching legend Mr. Henry Iba was down the road preaching defense at Oklahoma A&M, Bob took that example to heart. He perfected his defensive game so well that the Morrison coach always assigned him to guard the highest scorer on opposing teams.

When he was 16, Bob began courting Caroll Lea Adler. The school sweethearts married on September 24, 1955 and had three children – Karrie, Doug and Celia. They celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary just before his death.

Although he had a busy work schedule, Bob never missed watching his children play ball (and later his grandchildren). He and Caroll also were active with leading church youth activities while their children were growing up. The family spent summers at the lake and took a two-week vacation every year in Bob’s 1969 Ford pickup and camper shell. The VanDeventers would drive all over the West, up the coast and back down again, making memories along the way. Although he loved a good road trip and finding new highways to explore, Bob’s favorite vacation was a cruise to Belize, Cozumel and Yucatan with Caroll and the family to celebrate their milestone 50th anniversary.

The couple initially made their home in Stillwater after high school, where Bob began working in the newspaper business, setting type for the Stillwater News-Press. He worked at the News-Press for 10 years before his childhood schoolmate and dear friend Jerry James offered him a job in his brand-new photography studio.

With no experience in the field, Bob took a leap of faith and started working at Jerry’s Studio in Pawnee in 1964. Ever the charismatic salesman, Bob helped Jerry secure accounts with all the surrounding schools.
Bob, who was mostly self-taught, continued to perfect the art of film photography, from taking the photos to developing them, under Jerry’s mentorship. Caroll also learned to hand color his black-and-white photographs so the two could work together, he in the studio and she at home while raising the children.

Bob continued at Jerry’s until 1979 when he contemplated opening his own place. Cleveland businessmen Dixie Overman, Orb Whaley, Emile Bayouth and Dwain Carnes urged Bob to come to Cleveland and set up shop. In 1981, Bob and Caroll started a studio in Cleveland in the upstairs area of one of the buildings because it was the only vacancy on Broadway at the time. Knowing their last name of VanDeventer wasn’t catchy enough for business, Caroll saw the word “vanguard” one day, which means to lead the way by moving forward. Since the couple was branching out on their own together, they felt it was a perfect fit, and Vanguard’s Photography was born.

Over the next few decades, Osage and Pawnee County judges, Miss Keystone contestants, Tulsa Police Academy cadets and the Osage Tribal Council sat for photographs crafted by Bob. Vanguard’s Photography took photos for school classes, sports and other activities for Pawnee, Fairfax, Hominy, Oilton, Yale, Prue, Wynona and Cleveland.
Bob continued to serve Cleveland Public Schools until 2015, working beside the love of his life day in and day out until their retirement.

As a couple, Bob as Master Photographer, Craftsman, and Caroll, Master Artist, Craftsman, received the highest honor given by Professional Photographers of America twice – in 1983 (Southwest region) and again in 1993 (Oklahoma). They were voted on by their peers for the national award for services, which is a rare and prestigious nod in the industry and unusual for couples to win together.

Bob was past president of Professional Photographers of Oklahoma and also a member of Professionals Photographers of America and Southwest Professional Photographers. He served 12 years on the council for PPA. He also was a member of Rotary Club, through which he was a Paul Harris Fellow.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Russell VanDeventer and Dale VanDeventer.
Survivors are his wife Caroll, of the home; one son, Doug VanDeventer and his wife, Julie, of Cortez, Colorado; two daughters, Karrie Pettyjohn, and her husband, Paul, of Guthrie, Oklahoma and Celia Moore of Guthrie, Oklahoma; forever friend Kent Olmstead; eight grandchildren, Kylene, Zach, Joseph, Erin, Kortney, Cody, Alex and Jake; nine great grandchildren and one on the way. He also left a lasting impression on families in Cleveland and neighboring towns. Bob and Caroll documented countless lives through photographs over the years, watching kids grow while growing to love them as their own.

A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, October 21, 2016 at First Christian Church of Cleveland with David Logsdon officiating. Burial will follow at Fairlawn Cemetery in Stillwater. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Clarehouse hospice facility or to Seasons Hospice. Friends may share a memory with the family at Chapman-Black Funeral Home on Thursday, Oct. 20 from 6-8 p.m. or online at www.chapman-black.com