Robert Ernest Wilde

Robert E. “Bob” Wilde passed peacefully from this life to the next in his home on August 9th, 2017, surrounded by dear family and friends. He was in his 99th year. Bob was born on December 24th, 1018 in Mapleville, RI, the son of Annie and William Wilde. When he was 18 months old, his family moved across the country by train, arriving in California on Flag Day, 1920 and settling in Santa Ana. William worked as a mail carrier for the Santa Ana postal service throughout his career, and Annie cared for their three children, Edith, Bob, and Jim. Bob attended Santa Ana public schools including Willard Junior High School and Santa Ana High School, where he excelled in baseball, football and track, and served as senior class president and student body president. During his school years, he worked as a milk truck delivery boy in the early mornings. He went on to study at the University of California at Berkeley, earning a degree in Political Science and Economics, while supporting himself by working nights and weekends in a local ice cream store as a “soda jerk.” After graduation, he married his Santa Ana sweetheart, Jeanette Klatt on November 9th 1941. Pearl Harbor was attacked just one month later, on December 7th, 1941, dramatically changing the world at large and their world as well. Bob was working for Pan-American Airlines in their San Francisco office and was transferred to North Africa, and later to the Pacific, where he was assigned for several years. After the war, he returned to Southern California to work for his father-in-law, Carl Klatt, caring for his orange groves. In this country environment, Bob and Jeanette raised their five children: Valerie, Barbara, Raymond, Cathleen and Carolyn. Disneyland land opened in Orange County in 1955, and land prices boomed, making orange ranching more and more difficult. The family decided to try some commercial ventures, beginning with a small shopping center and an Alpha Beta market on the home place at 17th Street and Tustin Avenue. Bob later moved into the car business, first with Santa Ana Datsun/Nissan, and later with B&B Chevrolet, but he always said that he enjoyed the ranching most of all. He was active in St. Joseph’s Parish and School in Santa Ana for many years. His five children all attended St. Joseph’s, and Mater Dei High School. He was also active with his family at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Newport Beach. Bob loved the beach, and spent many hours body surfing and sailing with his family on Balboa Peninsula. He was a member of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club for 56 years. Bob will be remembered by those who knew and loved him for his gracious and generous hospitality to family, friends and visitors from around the world, and for his ability to talk with anyone of any age about anything. He will also be remembered for his engaging smile, for his courage and patience in coping with the challenges of aging, and for his lifelong love of large bowls of ice cream at all hours of the day and night. And most of all, Bob Wilde will be remembered for his great love of his wife, Jeanette, his children and their spouses, his 14 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and for his caregiver of 22 years, Marilyn Casapao. We give thanks for his presence in all our lives for so many years, and we celebrate his well lived life! Services: A Funeral Mass will be held Friday October 20th at 10:00am at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, 1441 W. Balboa Blvd., Newport Beach, CA. followed by a Celebration of Life reception at 11:30am. A Rosary will be said in lieu of flowers, please donate in Bob’s memory to: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church (www.olmc.net); or, Pacific Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation (www.phpcf.org, or by mail to PHPCF 2755 Bristol Street, Suite 275 Costa Mesa, CA. 92626).