Vernon Robert "Bob" Learn

Vernon Robert “Bob” Learn, age 83, of Burns Road in Arkport, New York, passed peacefully at home on March 10, 2026, surrounded by his loved ones.

Born on January 14, 1943, in Corning, New York, Bob was the son of Clayton and Ethel (Hill) Learn. He grew up in the Jasper and Woodhull area, attending the Northrup one-room schoolhouse before transferring to Jasper Central at age ten. At fourteen he left home to work on a local farm. In 1960, at the age of seventeen, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served his country until his honorable discharge in 1964.

After returning to civilian life, Bob worked at Foster Wheeler Corporation in Dansville before joining the Carpenters Union, where he spent more than thirty years building in the Rochester area. In 2000 he opened Bob’s Automotive in Arkport, fulfilling his lifelong passion for mechanics, and retired in 2010. He loved restoring and trading classic cars and motorcycles, and could often be found tinkering in his shop, reading history books, or listening to blues music. Known for his generous spirit, Bob was always ready to lend a helping hand to friends and neighbors.

Bob shared nearly fifty years with his loving wife and companion, Mitzie (Wyant) Learn. He is survived by his children—daughters April of Corning and Rita of Jasper; sons Conred Learn and Jonathan, both of Altoona, Pennsylvania, and Kevin of Maryland—his sister Audrey Lowery of Colorado, ten grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews who all cherished him. He was predeceased by his parents and his siblings Edith, Janice, Eileen, David, Richard, and Gerome.