1938-2016
Bob was born in Bakersfield, CA, and passed away peacefully at home in Bakersfield. Every time he left Bakersfield, when the family returned, he always remarked that “you can leave Bakersfield, but it’s good to be home.” Dad has truly now gone home to Mom, where she’s been waiting for seven years.
After graduating from East Bakersfield High School, he entered the United States Marine Corps. During his reserve duty with the USMC, he began working for the United States Forest Service. He was assigned to the Greenhorn Ranger District.
On his birthday in 1960, Bob married Patty, and they lived at Democrat where he was stationed. While with the Forest Service they also lived at Richbar, Delonegha, and Fulton. During this time, Dad gained a vast knowledge of the Greenhorn Mountains and the Sequoia National Forest that he loved to share with everyone.
In June of 1963, Bob began his 28 year career with the Kern County Fire Department, from which he retired in October of 1991. He had many fond memories of the crews and people that he worked with, hunted, and fished with. Dad requested that a special thanks be given to the crews at Station 63, for their assistance in the last few weeks.
In his retirement years, he continued to travel, hunt and fish with family and friends. Mom and Dad went to Alaska, Mexico, and places in between. They loved to fish off the Central Coast, even when the water wasn’t exactly “flat,” from their boat “Watershed Eye Sea.”
Bob and Patty started their family in 1965 with the birth of their son Jeff, followed by the twins, Karen and Lori in 1972. Patty passed in 2009 after a strong battle with breast cancer.
In his last few weeks, Bob made a point to tell the individual families of his belief in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He sat down with each of us, told us of his faith, let us know how much he loved us, and said goodbye.
Bob is survived by his wife Ann, whom he married in August 2016, as well as his ever-loving children and their families: Jeff and Tammy and their girls, Christine, Hope and EmmaLee; Karen, her fiancé, Rodger Kaczmarek, and her son Caleb; and Lori and Ted New and their kids Kelly and Wyatt. Also missing him is his nephew Scott LIndley and his wife Rodonna; niece Claudia and her husband Doug; Patty’s sisters Marie Wahl, Joan and Alden Nash, Margi and Henry Gonzales, and Jeanie Absher. There are many friends, too numerous to list, but always spoken fondly of.
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