Robert David Schutz

November 12, 1936 to July 23, 2011

Bob Schutz, 74, of Huntington Beach, passed away on July 23, 2011, while surrounded by loved ones following a courageous battle against kidney and lung diseases.

Bob is survived by the love of his life, and his wife of 51 years, Darleen Schutz of Huntington Beach; by his daughter Lisa Weber, son-in-law Jeff Weber, grandchildren Whitney Weber and Sam Weber and great-grandson Jack Weber, all of Irvine; and by son Todd Schutz, daughter-in-law Patrizia Schutz and granddaughter Victoria Schutz, all of Vecchiano, Italy.

Bob was a devoted and loving husband and father who lived the paradoxical life of refined culture and....camping. Yes, he could don his tweed, puff his pipe and read the classics during the week, and then rough it with the family on the sandy beaches of Mexico on the weekend. His contradictory image was further buttressed by his seemingly stern demeanor which really only masked his tender and encouraging nature.

Bob enjoyed a successful career in telecommunications sales and strategy with Pacific Bell in Los Angeles (30 years), Bergen Brunswig in Orange and SITA CORP in Huntington Beach.

A US Army veteran, Bob was a history buff who served family and friends as the Pre-Google repository of knowledge. "Go call Grandpa" was the common reply to questions surrounding some innocuous moment in history.

To complete his pursuit of refinement, Bob had a penchant for all things British. His credentials as an Anglophile manifest in varied preferences, from British Sterling aftershave to his British racing green MGB; from The BBC to The Economist; from Upstairs Downstairs to Waiting for God; from Bombay Gin to English Ovals; from The King's Speech to Sherlock Holmes...all quite fitting for a man whose lineage was later traced by grandson Sam to the royal English throne of Edward III.

Bob was a serious tennis fan (especially Wimbledon, of course), and loved to play the game in his younger days when he wasn't riding his bicycle to the shores of Huntington Beach, manning the helm on a friend's sailboat, watching William F. Buckley on Firing Line or ranting on the lunacy of everyone from Jerry Brown to Nancy Pelosi.

Born in Utica, New York in 1936, Bob moved immediately with his parents to Lynwood, California, where he lived until he married Darleen. He and Darleen met in a series of "chance" encounters on the elevator in the Pacific Bell building, until he finally mustered the courage to introduce himself, after only....8 months! Five months later they were married.

Bob and Darleen raised Lisa and Todd in Westminster and Huntington Beach. Bob and his father, Walter, helped to construct the sanctuary of King of Kings Lutheran church in Garden Grove, the family church where the kids were confirmed and attended elementary school, where Bob met many of his lifelong friends and where Bob and Darleen worshipped together until his passing.

A memorial church service will be held on Saturday at 11:00am at King of Kings Lutheran Church at 13431 Newhope Street, Garden Grove, CA.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to King of Kings Lutheran Church at www.kingofkingsgg.org.

Arrangements under the direction of Pacific View Memorial Park and Mortuary FD1176, Corona Del Mar, CA.