Charles Robert Francis

Charles Robert Francis was born October 26th, 1938 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was born in a time when boys grew into men without much fanfare but with amazing results. Bob moved to California when he was 7, and it became home to Bobby and his 5 brothers and sisters. As a young man he played trumpet and won his fair share of accolades. One of bob's first jobs was working at the dairy farm. He broke a sweat and a few bottles at that dairy farm. Maybe that's where Bob learned that a little work never hurt anybody, but a lot of work makes for cool scars, some great stories, and it builds character.

Although our lives feel a lot emptier with the loss of Bob, he wanted us to know what a full life he lived. From hiking the High Sierras, to rafting down the Colorado, to biking the 50 mile Rosarito/Ensenada ride in Mexico, to skiing Alpine Meadows, Bob was quite the active participant in all that love, land and life had to offer him.

Bob was a gentleman and a gentle man. He loved his family. He played chess. He was a thinker and a doer. Bob was a principled man of character who taught his loved ones that if you were going to do it, you better do it right. And as much as Bob always did things right, you wouldn’t hear him brag about it. He just did it. If you watched and listened, you sure could learn a lot from Bob.

In fact, Bob was a teacher by trade. After earning double masters, Bob taught at Hilltop Junior High and Montgomery High School where he was also a counselor. He then headed to the brand new Eastlake High School for its inaugural year until his retirement many years later. During Bob's tenure, he taught industrial arts, computer science, and all levels of math from algebra to trigonometry to calculus. He was part of the adjunct faculty of Southwestern College and conducted workshops for faculty members in the Sweetwater Union High School District.

Just like Bob playing chess or cards, he didn't go easy on his students. But he taught you how to succeed. He didn't give away A's. In Bob's class, just like in his garden, you reaped what you sowed. If you got a good grade, it's because you earned it.

With his retirement, Bob earned a little more time outside. Bob was a lifelong gardener who loved working in his orchard and tending to his flowers, plants and trees. He loved to smell the roses and pick the fruits of his labor. Lately, and most of all, he loved to sit with Sandy on their wooden bench, and enjoy their little bit of heaven on earth.

A few years ago Bob and Sandy were finally able to fulfill one of Bob's lifelong dreams of seeing the changing autumn leaves turn their vibrant colors along the roads of New Hampshire and Vermont. Bob loved to see the seasons change with such stark and resounding beauty.

Bob loved the outdoors. Many of Bob's most enjoyable times were spent at his cabin in Lake Tahoe where he planted trees every year and watched them grow throughout the seasons. He walked and hiked and biked across the lands surrounding the lake. He shared his love of that land with his family and taught many a card game to his children and grandchildren while gathered around his Tahoe table. If you beat bob, it was a triumph, for surely he never let you win. Victory was hard-fought, but always true. Like bob.

When Bob was nearing his journey's end, still he taught his family and friends how to live and love with dignity and grace. In the end, he wanted nothing more than to be home... home where he lived his very good life. He got his wish and passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by his beloved family. Bob is now forever home.