Robert Anthony Paolini

Robert "Bob" Anthony Paolini was born on July 8, 1941 in Manhattan, New York to Giulio and Pauline "Del Bene" Paolini. After graduating high school, Bob enlisted in the US Army where he spent time stationed at Fort Dix in New Jersey, Fort Riley in Manhattan, KS (basic training with the 1st Infantry Division aka Big Red 1) and in Wurzburg, Germany proudly serving in the 3rd Infantry Division. After his time in the US Army, he ultimately met and married Linda Edwards and had four children. Inspired by the stunning forests and mountains of Germany, Bob headed west with his young family from New Rochelle, NY to the beautiful state of Colorado in 1972, where they settled in Wheat Ridge to raise their kids.

After spending time in the banking industry, Bob fulfilled his dream of becoming a small business owner and bought/opened several tobacco shops throughout the Denver metro area, including his flagship William Bensev Tobacconist in the Boston Building on 17th Street downtown Denver. It was there he fostered many friendships, including one who became his lifelong friend and best pipe smoking buddy, Larry Case.

Bob eventually sold his stores but, in his usual style of finding a way to provide for his family and persevere, registered for classes at Regis University and graduated with an accounting degree which he used to further his career with the US Department of Interior.

In his spare time, Bob enjoyed traveling, buying and selling cars, and smoking good Cuban cigars while sipping a nice bourbon or Scotch. Among his favorite places to visit were the Canyonlands of Utah as well as the Serengeti in Tanzania, Africa. He also found joy in giving back to his community by serving as a volunteer for the Wheat Ridge Fire Department, the Denver Optimist Club as well as the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.