Family members of Bob Hope unveiled a bronze relief sculpture Tuesday at the airport that bears his name.
Siblings Linda and Kelly Hope, along with Don Wiegand, the St. Louis-based sculptor who created the bas relief, uncovered the 425-pound sculpture to celebrate the life of comedian Bob Hope.
Because her father traveled the world, Linda Hope said it was fitting to display his likeness at the entrance of his namesake airport.
Still, his son, Kelly Hope, said the size and scale of the sculpture would likely have made his father pause.
“Dad was a very proud man, but also very humble . . . he probably wouldn’t have liked the size of it,” Kelly Hope said.
The sculpture, which measures more that 7 feet tall and 4 feet wide, took more than two years to complete. Bob Hope, who entertained in every decade of the 20th century, was also known for his world travels entertaining American troops.
The Guinness Book of Records cites him as the most honored entertainer in the world, with more than 2,000 awards.
Linda Hope said the goal was for something “really personalized” and for the people asking, “Who is this guy, Bob Hope?”
