Robert Perry Brant

“No one in the world is richer than me” is a quote the Brant family heard often from Dad, Grandpa, Great Grandpa Brant, for he believed that he had the very best family in the world . . . and said so often, which made him rich beyond measure.

Robert P. Brant was born October 10, 1924, in Aurora, Colorado. He died of natural causes on Saturday, April 16, 2016, at his home in Port Hueneme, surrounded by the family he loved.

Bob was a preteen when his parents abandoned him so he had to live in cars and make his own way in life, which is why his own family was so important to him. He worked at the soda fountain at the Aurora Drug Company as World War II broke out, he finished high school in Colorado, and then enlisted in the U.S. Navy--the other love of his life. He went to boot camp in Farragut, Idaho, and signal school in Champagne, IL. He served in the South Pacific as a Chief Signalman on the SS Young American, alongside 71st Seabee Battalion, Acorn 13, and was reassigned to the US Marine Corps for the invasion of Bougainville. An AVR crash boat crew taught him to operate it, and he was in charge of the AVR 78 and its crew on the island of Espiritu Santo retrieving downed American pilots. In August 1945, he was assigned to LST Flotilla 7 headed to Okinawa and then on to Japan where the ship was unloaded and returned to the Philippines. President Truman’s decision to drop the A bomb on Japan resulted in Dad repeatedly saying “President Truman saved my life,” otherwise, he would have been in the invasion force.

During the war while taking a bus from Hueneme to Oxnard, he met a local girl, Helen Arosteguy, with the sparkling eyes. They were married at Santa Clara Catholic Church on April 24, 1946 . . . 70 years ago.

Robert Brant was Co-Founder and continuous organizer of Hueneme’s Harbor Days, participated on the Hueneme Volunteer Fire Department, Past President of Hueneme Rotary, Past President of Hueneme Chamber of Commerce, 67-year member of Oxnard Elks, long-time member of Navy League, and 2005 Hueneme Co-Citizen of the Year (with Helen Brant).

Brant’s professional life included: commercial real estate broker, the designer/owner of the original health studios in Oxnard and Ventura, and the co-owner of Bob’s City Market in Port Hueneme.

He will be remembered for his devotion to family and for card-playing, his barbeques, boating, RV camping, singing, swimming, dancing, fitness and walking all over Hueneme with his dog. How many boaters did he save/tow back to port? Hundreds. He recently enjoyed the first veterans’ trip to the World War II Museum in New Orleans as a guest of the Gary Sinise Foundation.

Robert is survived by his wife, Helen Brant; five children, Yvonne (Carmelo) Finocchiaro, John (Cherie) Brant, Nanci (Gary) Chambers, Gail Davidson, and Gary (Jan) Brant and those five children produced nine grandchildren, Brett (Ann Britt), Shannon (Daniel), MacKenzie (Michael), Scott (Stephanie), Brian, Courtney (Dixon), Kyle (Sarah), Rob (Amanda) and Jennifer (Michael), and sixteen great grandchildren, Drew, Cade, Dominik, Alyssa, Tyson, Dylan, Carter, Sophia, Hailey, Taylor, Jessica, June, Riley, Kyler, Chelsea and Maya. Robert is also survived by his sister, Marjorie Galloway; 11 nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations to the Gary Sinise Foundation in the name of Robert Brant at: https://www.garysinisefoundation.org

A Prayer Vigil will be held Wednesday, April 27, 2016, 7PM, at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura. Funeral Mass will take place of Thursday, April 28, 2016, 10AM, at Santa Clara Church, 323 South E Street, Oxnard. Burial will take place at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, 5400 Valentine Rd., Ventura.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, Ventura. Condolences may be left at TedMayrFuneralHome.com.