On Saturday, June 6, 2026, a celebration of Bob’s life will begin with greetings and well-wishes with the family between 9:15 – 9:55 am with a service at 10:00 am, both at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 110 - 50th St. SW, Everett, WA.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff” was Bob (Robert Reider) Kristiansen’s motto and a guiding principle throughout his life. He passed away at age 85 on May 20, 2026, at his home in Everett, Washington.

Bob lived by this belief as he raised six daughters and one son with his wife of 60 years, Becky Tennant. He was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Reider and Elsie Kristiansen, alongside his 10-years older brother, Lloyd. As a young man, Bob served a two-year volunteer mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Florida. He later earned a degree in business from the University of Utah. In 1966, he married Becky Tennant, and together they raised six girls and one boy. Early in their marriage they relocated to the Seattle area, where he began working with Western Publishing, known for its Little Golden Books. They quickly fell in love with the area and made it their home for the rest of their lives.

For nearly 30 years, Bob was a self-employed newspaper delivery contractor, rising in the early hours to deliver for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and later The Seattle Times. He managed the daily delivery of hundreds of papers, employing both teens and adults. Known for his tireless work ethic—in a lean time, he worked seven days a week for seven years.

In the days before computers, Bob hand-billed hundreds of customers and maintained dozens of newspaper machines across Snohomish and King counties. His work required constant driving, and with the help of Conaway Motors and a stack of how-to manuals, he became a self-taught auto mechanic. His son loved helping his dad work on cars for hours at a time. Together, they eventually took on building a Herbie the Love Bug replica.

That same “figure-it-out” ingenuity led him to take on another memorable project. Armed with little more than a hand saw, he designed and built a two-story A-frame playhouse for his children—complete with a deck, swing set, and electricity. It became a hub of laughter and imagination, and the envy of the neighborhood. In his 30s and 40s, with a group of friends, he took up off-road motorcycling. They traveled to different locations with challenging terrains. Eventually, his daughters had motorcycles and a go-cart. When the sixth child, a boy, was born, there were motorcycles for him, too.

His children remember him as a faithful, kind, and remarkably patient father—one who rarely raised his voice and never used physical discipline. He loved sports and stayed active throughout his life, playing racquetball, golf, baseball, and basketball—wearing out his knees along the way and eventually requiring multiple knee replacements. He formed lasting friendships through the YMCA and spent many years golfing at Walter Hall and Legion Golf Courses, playing well into his 84th year. In retirement, Bob made a few trips to Phoenix, Arizona, with a daughter or son, to attend MLB spring training, often packing in as many games as possible. Wherever he traveled to visit his children across the country, he would find a local ballfield—whether high school, college, or minor league—just to enjoy the game. His love of sports was not just a pastime; it was a way of life.

A devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bob was a beloved teacher to both adults and youth, including his own children. He had a gift for blending humor, practicality, and faith into lessons about everyday life.

Over the years, his collection of “Bob-isms” grew along with his family:

• “It will feel better in the morning”—once said to a daughter with a broken arm, who dutifully waited until morning to report that it still hurt.
• “There ain’t no free lunch.”
• Reflecting his love of simple pleasures—especially French fries and soda pop—he would say, “If you fry it, they will come.”
• “Walk it off.”
• “Just keep getting up.”
• “Life is a wild ride—buckle up.”

Through his quick wit and his habit of laughing freely, Bob taught by example that a hearty laugh several times a day is good medicine.

As we say goodbye to our beloved husband, father, grandpa, and great-grandpa his final words of wisdom feel especially fitting for both this life and what comes next: “It will all work out.”

We love you, Dad.

Bob is survived by his wife of 60 years, Becky Kristiansen and an abundant family of 28 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren: Michelle and Jeff Stephens (Imbler, OR) and grandchild Lindsay; Kimberly & Tim Girgenti (Houston, TX) and grandchildren Thomas (Jasmine), Peter (Kelsey), Grace, Emmy and David; Cynthia & Alex Canizales (Frederick, MD) and grandchildren Kelsey (Jennifer), Lauren, Jared, Samantha and Andrew; Candice and Seth Ririe (Rexburg, ID) and grandchildren Ethan (Samantha) and great grandchildren Jaxson, Blakely and Kyla; Paige (Matt), Olivia, Cole and Hazel; Patricia and Jeremy Heber (Kirkland, WA) and grandchildren Jake (Talita), Kate, Ryan, Elise and Tyler; Scott Kristiansen (Frederick, MD) and grandchildren Noah, Daniel, Maya and Addie; Amy and Greg Zimmerman (Edmond, OK) and grandchildren Aidan and Sophia.