To many of my University of California friends I wanted to remember my old friend Robert G. Merryman who passed away last year. I first met Bob in 1972. I remember this big man with a big laugh. I was later promoted to a senior level in 1976 when I began to work with him at the UCSD payroll system. He was a forward thinker (perhaps even touching on genius,)  a very creative computer programmer. Over the years I worked with Bob on several important projects relating to the University of California Base Payroll System.
I last saw Bob in 2006, when I retired. He was still going strong, working in the same vein as a penultimate authority with regard to the same (now antiquated) system that was still in use all those decades later. At this time he was a rare breed...one of only a few who could still program in the COBOL language. Only very recently is this system now being phased out.
Bob was very conservative. I don't think he came from a large family. And I don't think he ever married. He was, in fact, married to his work.
After a health scare in the 1980's, Bob lost a tremendous amount of weight. I could hardly recognize him. But he was a lot healthier for having done so. And he remained disciplined about keeping the weight off for the rest of his life. 
I learned of Bob's passing just recently in a text message from a dear friend who also knew and worked with Bob. I learned that Bob was just six weeks older than me. 
I will always remember Bob, not as a close friend, because we never hung out together except at coffee break. But I will remember him as a very highly respected colleague, a miracle man.


Bob was my first boss when I worked at the UCSD Computer Center as a student in the 1970s. I would have loved to reminisce with him and am so sorry to hear of his passing. My condolences to his loved ones.

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Robert Merryman

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Robert Grant Merryman

10 août 1946 – 7 septembre 2019

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Robert Grant Merryman

10 août 1946 – 7 septembre 2019

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