Robert Leonard “Bob” Lash, Jr. 

Salem - There are people who quietly move through life…and then there was Bob. Bob never really did anything halfway. If he was going to drive a truck, it was going to be spotless, decked out with all the bells and whistles, loud enough to turn heads, and polished until one speck of dust could ruin his day. Choosing a black truck may not have been the wisest decision for a man obsessed with keeping it clean, but that never stopped him from chasing perfection—rainstorm after rainstorm. Born and raised in Salem, New York, Robert Leonard Lash Jr., known to most as Bob and to those closest to him as Bobby, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at the age of 51, doing what he loved most—driving truck. 

Bob was the son of Jessie Reed Lash and the late Robert Leonard Lash Sr. Long before trucking became his career, it was part of who he was. Growing up on the family farm, he worked alongside his father hauling hay throughout the Northeast and into Canada after the family transitioned away from dairy farming. Agriculture and trucking weren’t just jobs to Bob—they were in his blood. While attending Southern Adirondack Educational Center, Bob studied small engine repair, earning recognition at the state level for his talent. He loved bringing old dirt bikes and four-wheelers back to life, and if there was a deal to be made, a trade to negotiate, or a bargain to chase, Bob was probably already halfway there. Facebook Marketplace might as well have been his second home. Somehow, he always managed to find exactly what everyone else had been searching for. 

Throughout his life, Bob wore many hats. He worked at Irving Tissue, Britton Drilling & Blasting, the Town of Hebron, and CaroVail before finding his way back home to trucking with Brian MacNeil Trucking. There, he found more than a job. He found friendships built on loyalty, trust, and respect. Brian MacNeil became far more than his employer, and alongside coworkers like Brian English—whose friendship began years earlier in a snowy hospital parking lot on the day Dakota was born—Bob found another family. 

Bob’s love of trucks didn’t end when he climbed out of the driver’s seat. He loved tractor pulls and looked forward to sharing that passion with Brian whenever he could. Whether they were talking horsepower, admiring beautifully built machines, or simply enjoying the camaraderie that surrounded the sport, those were some of the moments that filled Bob’s cup. If it had an engine, made noise, or smelled like diesel, chances are Bob loved it. 

Adventure was never something Bob had to be convinced of. If someone had an idea, he was already figuring out how to make it happen. One afternoon, after a simple walk, his wife came home and asked if he’d like to become an Adirondack 46er. Without hesitation, he said yes. By the very next day, he had maps spread out, plans in motion, and a goal. Together they climbed all 46 High Peaks in just five months, an accomplishment that remained one of his proudest achievements. 

He loved the outdoors with his whole heart. Whether snowmobiling with the Battenkill Snowdrifters, attending car shows, tinkering with engines, or simply standing in awe of nature, Bob never lost his sense of wonder. The first time he saw the Atlantic Ocean, his face lit up with the same amazement that would later appear when his children were born and when he stood atop the High Peaks. Those who knew him best knew that beneath his smart-aleck humor was a man who never stopped being amazed by the world around him. Music was woven into nearly every part of Bob’s life. He loved karaoke, even running it for a time at the Salem Tavern, and often admitted that some of his best rehearsals happened behind the wheel of his tractor-trailer. A devoted Grateful Dead fan, Ship of Fools was among his favorite songs, and the worn-out T-shirt covered in holes that he stubbornly refused to throw away became as much a part of him as the music itself. 

Football was another lifelong passion. Bob played in high school, coached youth football, and remained an unwavering Dallas Cowboys fan. Sundays often meant cheering loudly enough for the neighbors to know how the game was going, and somehow, despite the volume, most televisions survived. To know Bob was to know contradictions that somehow fit together perfectly. He could drive an eighty-thousand-pound tractor-trailer through any weather, yet was terrified to change Dakota’s diaper for far longer than he’d ever admit. He could argue a point with unbelievable determination, insist he was right, and drive you absolutely crazy—only to spend hours afterward talking everything through because he never wanted the people he loved to carry unresolved hurt. He hated bananas with remarkable passion after being tricked by a mislabeled “blueberry” muffin, yet ate the entire thing anyway because wasting food simply wasn’t an option. He insisted on Hellmann’s mayonnaise, believed sweet potato puff should only be made with canned sweet potatoes, and somehow thought warming turkey sandwiches on the dashboard of his truck was perfectly acceptable. Those who loved him may never understand that last one. 

Bob was endlessly generous with his time and knowledge. Friends and family knew that if they needed advice on fixing something, finding something, or figuring something out, Bob either had the answer or knew exactly where to find it. It often felt like he had an answer for everything. His passing leaves the rest of us with questions we’d give anything for him to answer. 

More than anything, Bob loved his family. He is survived by his mother, Jessie Lash; his sister, Harriet Turner; his wife, Candi Lash; his son, Dakota Lash and Dakota’s girlfriend, Taylor Grover; his daughter, McKenna Lash and her fiancé, Nicholas Handy; his nephews, Michael Hall, Cody Hall, Tiffany Long, and Robin Turner Jr.; countless friends who became family—including his dear friend Brent whom he met on the top of Mt. Jo and became instant best friends—and coworkers who loved and respected him deeply. He was predeceased by his father, Robert Leonard Lash Sr., and his sister, Denise Hall. 

Bob often shrugged life’s problems away with the phrase, “It is what it is.” 

But this isn’t. 

There is nothing ordinary about losing a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a friend, a truck driver, a mountain climber, a football coach, a karaoke singer, a Grateful Dead fan, or the man who somehow always managed to spot you on the road before you ever noticed him. 

Bob also liked to joke that he’d probably be late to his own funeral. Knowing him, we can’t help but wonder if he stopped to climb one more mountain on the way. The miles he drove have come to an end, but the roads he traveled, the lives he touched, and the stories he gave us will continue on for generations. 

We love you, Bob.

Calling hours are Friday, August 7, 2026 from 3-6 pm at the McClellan-Gariepy Funeral Home, 19 East Broadway, Salem. A service will begin at 6 pm with Rev. Debbie Earthrowl officiating. Those who wish may share memories of Bob during the service.

A celebration of Bob’s life will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2026 beginning at 2 pm at 718 Blind Buck Road, Salem, NY.

To express your sympathy or share a memory of Bob, please visit www.gariepyfuneralhomes.com