Bob Woodward, former Bend mayor, journalist and pioneering mountain biker, has passed away at age 85. According to reports, Woodward was battling Parkinson’s disease before his death. Woodward was known widely in Bend and Central Oregon as pillar in the outdoor community.
Since Woodward’s passing, positive messages have flooded social media, with locals sharing fond memories of his life and impact on the culture of Bend. Many referred to Woodward as a “staple in the community” and an “outdoor industry giant.”
Woodward was one of the co-founders of the Central Oregon Trail Alliance, was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and has a Nordic trail at Mt. Bachelor named after him — Woody’s Way.
Friends also recalled how Woodward always refused to wear a tie. Thus the City Council at the time was nicknamed the “Men without Ties.”
“Bob Woodward was a pioneer in all things outdoors in Bend, his legacy goes far beyond his impacts on Nordic skiing,” read a message from a Facebook group. “Bend owes a lot to him, who we are now as a[n] outdoor mecca is very related to the work of Bob Woodward.”
One of Bend’s longest running bars, M&J Tavern, remembered Woodward and shared a message on Facebook.
“The M&J Tavern sends our condolences to Woodward’s friends and family. Here is to molding the world around him.”
In addition to his influence in outdoor recreation, he was a talented writer. Woodward wrote for the Source Weekly for a number of years, starting in the early days of the paper. His contributions to the paper were significant and covered topics still relevant today, like his take on people driving dangerously fast on the way to Mt. Bachelor. Stories ranged from advice about mountain biking and less crowded Nordic ski areas, to a list of people and things that “make life bearable” in Bend.
Publisher Aaron Switzer remembers, “As a young Publisher in the early days of the Source, I was so honored when Bob began writing for our publication. To me it meant at the time that our paper had arrived. I don’t believe that Bend would have been on the same trajectory it enjoyed as a recreation and beer mecca without Bob’s life long commitment to creating community. He will be sorely missed.”
This article appears in The Source Weekly March 6, 2025.
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Bob Woodward Presente!
Bend misses his leadership. The massive development is out of control with no plans to stop it. In fact, it is planned to accelerate. No one is happy but the City pocketing the cash from developers, the developers and Brooks Resources. Stop ruining Bend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!