Robert Leslie Christiansen

Robert Christiansen, affectionately known as Dad, Grandpa, Rob, Bob, Bobby and Fuzz, was a wonderful family man and loyal friend. Born in South Shields, England to Les and Polly Christiansen, Rob grew up living in the coastal city with his baby sister Margaret. Throughout his teens, Rob was involved with the local youth club where he made lifelong friends and discovered his passion for mechanics and motorcycles.  

Motivated to see the world and start his career, Rob graduated with honors in mechanical engineering and a Bachelor of Science in applied science from Durham University in 1961. With his diploma complete, Rob purchased a motorcycle with the money he earned from coal mining and rode it everywhere he could before starting his career as an engineer with A. Reyrolle & Company.

In 1965, Rob met Kate. It was true love. He proposed and the two married and began their journey together as husband and wife. In 1968, they welcomed their son Karl into the world. Later that same year, Rob’s innovative mind and career accomplishments – including his patent in Noise Suppression of Air-blast Circuit Breaker Exhausts – caught the attention of the U.S.-based Continental Can Company. Rob was recruited and the new family was off to America to spend a couple years in the United States to, “make their millions,” grow their family and then return home to England.

Rob’s career took off, and in 1972 the two were blessed with a beautiful baby girl named Leigh. Together, the family of four moved around the United States, from New York to Indiana, Connecticut and Virginia. They lived in various cities throughout the U.S. before finding a new coastal area to call home in 1977.

Southern California certainly was not England, but family was everything to Rob and the family was good. Kate and Rob raised their kids in Orange County and in 1989, founded RK Enterprises. Rob retired from his career in engineering in 2004, leaving more time to spend with his family and grow RK Enterprises with his beautiful wife.  

As time passed, Rob’s children established their own families and blessed him and Kate with three incredible grandkids – Michael, Peyton and Cole. Rob loved being a grandpa and playing games including bingo, bridge, chess and Sudoku. When he wasn’t traveling the world with Kate or visiting friends and family in England, Rob enjoyed going to The Olde Ship Pub to watch his treasured football team Sunderland often get “trounced” in the English premier football league.

At the age of 81, Rob peacefully made his way to Heaven. He is survived by his love of 53 years Kate, his son Karl, his daughter Leigh, their families, his sister Margaret and his three grandkids. A memorial service in Rob’s honor is being held at McAulay and Wallace Mortuary in Fullerton on Friday, July 23rd at 11 a.m., with a celebration of life immediately following at Graziano’s in Yorba Linda.