Robert "Bob" Michael Valencia

January 21, 1951 - April 24, 2022

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Robert Michael Valencia on April 24, 2022 at the age of 71. Bob was a lifetime resident of Redondo Beach. He was born at home in Redondo Beach in 1951 to Rudolph and Dolores (nee Garcia) Valencia. He passed away peacefully during the quietness of a Sunday morning, with just him and his partner, Connie, in their Redondo Beach home.

Bob attended Redondo Beach schools, where he was on the varsity football, basketball, and tennis teams at Redondo Union High School (RUHS). In his senior year, Bob enrolled in the first Police Explorers program offered by the Redondo Beach Police Department. Earning his high school diploma in 1969, Bob then took classes at Cal State Long Beach. He was a recreation leader for the City of Manhattan Beach Parks and Recreation Department from 1972 into the early 1980s, working volleyball tournaments, slo-pitch, and as a playground leader. Bob became a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in 1980, serving at locations from South Central to the Los Angeles International Airport, and left the LAPD after working 30 years. Throughout his life, Bob was an avid skier, volleyball player, and traveler. He thrived on ski trips to Mammoth, loved joining volleyball games at Knob Hill beach, and traveled the world, from hiking to the Mount Everest base camp with longtime best friend, Fred, to cruises to Alaska, the Mediterranean, the Panama Canal and Cuba. Bob rode his bicycle all over the South Bay, and prided himself on working out, even until the week before his passing. As a 40-plus year member of the South End Racquet and Tennis Club in Torrance, Bob enjoyed swimming, lifting weights, and talking with members and staff. Bob was loved by those who met him and will be deeply missed.

Bob leaves his devoted partner of 39 years, Connie Smith, retired Spanish teacher at RUHS; his mother, Dolores; brother, Vince (Sandra); sister, Annie (Lupe); sister in law, Becky; Connie’s sister, Monica (Alfred), and brother, Craig; many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins; his stalwart friends, Fred Kaplan, Gerry Denney, and Joey Cioffi, who stayed with him to the end; and, many caring friends and neighbors. A special thank you to Leslie Hansen, nurse extraordinaire, who cared for Bob in his final days. Preceding Bob in death was his father, Rudy; his brother, Fred, died 3 months after Bob.

A cremation was privately held on May 10, 2022, followed by a Mass Intention at St. Lawrence Martyr Church on February 4, 2023. A memorial bench was dedicated to Bob at Avenue A and Esplanade on August 19, 2022. A girls’ volleyball scholarship has been established at Redondo Union High School in the name of Robert M. Valencia. We invite you to sign Bob’s guestbook now at lafuneral.com

In memory of Robert M. Valencia, donations can be made to support children with bone cancer at: Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children (Luskin OIC).

For Checks

Address check to: Luskin OIC Foundation.

Write: In memory of Robert M. Valencia in the Note section.

Mail the check to:

Luskin OIC Foundation

403 West Adams Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90007

Attn: Mary Beth Perrine

For Credit Cards

Please visit: www.luskinoic.org

On the “Donate” page, go to the Designation drop-down menu, and select “LuskinOIC Care for Kids Fund.” In the box identified as “A note for my gift,” type in: In memory of Robert M. Valencia, so the gift can be processed correctly.

All gifts received will be designated to care for children with bone cancer, per Robert’s wishes and in memory of Robert M. Valencia.