Robert Osborne Skinner

Robert Osborne Skinner - our "Bob" and "Bobaroo" - understood that family and love are life's greatest treasures. And by all accounts, he was lucky in the many shades of love.

Bob was born in Evanston, Illinois on October 2, 1946, into a large and caring family. In spite of losing his father at four years old, he remembered a childhood filled with joy, music, mischief and deep family ties. At age five, Bob's family moved to Eagle Rock, CA, where he fulfilled his destiny of becoming a lifelong Dodgers fan. Many of his closest friendships were formed in those early years - "no-BS" bonds that he cherished throughout his life.

As an adult, Bob became a father to four wonderful daughters - Jennifer, Allison, Aimee and Abbey. Nothing brought him a greater sense of pride than watching his daughters grow up to become good people. Bob spent his thirties and forties living with his family in Vermont, where he worked in banking alongside running a bed and breakfast. Bob enjoyed hosting people from all over and thrived on conversations about culture, history and politics - enduring passions from a young age. They eventually returned to California to be closer to family, his life's steady anchor.

At 55 years young, Bob met and soon married the love of his life, Grace. Grace had three grown children of her own - Adrianna, Alyssa and Dylan - and Bob embraced the role of supportive stepfather and devoted husband wholeheartedly.

Bob was a true romantic: thoughtful, reflective and poetic. He wrote Grace a trove of love letters and poems - some of which she found a tad mushy - that remain among her most cherished possessions. Together, they laughed daily and lived out their passion for travel, adventuring to more than twenty countries and visiting their "Brady bunch" of children around the world. They lived like James Bond in Venice, drank too much soju in Japan and made sure to fulfill Bob's lifelong dream of attending Spring Training in Phoenix.

By the end of his life, Bob was "Grandpa" to a brood of thirteen grandchildren and a great-grandfather to four.

Neither age nor illness could erase Bob's humor and sweetness, so his final days were filled with simple joys. He wrestled a stubborn Christmas tree into place, celebrated Grace's birthday with dear friends and ordered one last martini just how he liked 'em - olives and a twist.

Bob's final wish was to leave this world surrounded by those he loved - and he did. His wife, daughters, stepchildren and siblings gathered at his bedside to say farewell. We're hopeful that he left feeling how deeply he was loved and how much he will be missed.

The celebration of Bob's life will take place April 12th at the home of dear friends in Elk Grove.