I am missing  Uncle Bob everyday, but especially today on his birthday.  When  we should be celebrating him, we are instead grieving and mourning  his loss. My deepest love and sympathy go out to my dear Aunt Shirley, who has been grace and strength through this all.   

Several of our family and friends gathered at Aunt Shirley's a few days after Uncle Bob passed away to share stories of him.  I shared one of my earliest memories of Uncle Bob when he visited my family in Memphis on the night the Beatles were on the  Ed Sullivan show; and visiting him in the early 1960's at his base in White Sands, NM, when  I was snapping photos of an outdoor missile display with my Kodak Brownie camera,  and the MP's confiscated and exposed the film from camera!  

And Uncle Bob stayed with us in New Orleans, just a month after we moved there in April 1967; and was at the hospital with my mom the night she passed away. 

One of my happiest memories is meeting Aunt Shirley and Uncle Bob at the Denver airport in December 1984, when Jamie was flying back from a business trip the same day they had a long layover.  Six-month old Ashley and I drove down the mountain and spent the afternoon at the airport with Aunt Shirley and Uncle Bob -- and  Ashley still says she remembers that day!

But one of my special memories is from August 1990.  Our kids Ashley, Ryan, and Jeremy (ages 6, 4, 1.5 years old) and I took the California Zephyr train from Denver to Sacramento for a reunion hosted by Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Ken for Grandma Hendel's 90th birthday.   We had a great few days celebrating!  But.  On the return trip, somehow Uncle Bob volunteered (or got nominated!) to put the kids and I back on the train, when the train car was full and we couldn't sit together.  Many tears were shed, including my own!  But Uncle Bob was a calm and reassuring presence when I needed him most. 

My favorite Uncle Bob is greatly missed already, but he is forever in my heart. 
From his niece,
Patti

So many memories of Bob … preparing multiple dishes of food for their many bichons (their own plus fosters); his delicious flaming dessert at Christmas dinner; his gardening and fish pond that he took such great care of; his very gentle and gentlemanly nature with people and the bichons he cared for and loved so intensely. And his absolute devotion to his wife. My heart aches for you, Shirley. May his memory always be a blessing.

Bob became a treasured presence in my life in 2001, when he and Shirley introduced me to my first Bichon Frise, Perry, and later to my second Bichon, whom I named Shirley in her honor.

One of my first memories of Bob is seeing him in the kitchen of their Maryland home, surrounded by little white Bichons at his feet as he lovingly prepared their dinners. It was a scene that perfectly reflected who he was—a gentle, patient man who cared deeply for every living creature.

Bob also had a remarkable gift for gardening. Every spring he planted a beautiful garden and even grew corn from seeds I brought him from Nebraska. His creativity extended far beyond the garden. Each Christmas, he designed and hung the spectacular decorations that transformed the outside of their Maryland home into a magical Christmas fairyland.

Bob was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He treated everyone with warmth, respect, and genuine kindness. In all my life, I have never met a man with the patience, gentleness, and compassion that Bob possessed.

He leaves behind countless cherished memories and will be deeply missed by many—myself among them.

First Shirley became tomodachi (friend) with Yoriko in late 90s in Washington DC. Bob and Shirley included us in their Christmas party which grew more spectacular every year and let our family enjoy American Christmas .  Bob was always kind and generous.  He will be missed.

It has truly been a privilege to have known both Bob and Shirley over the past several years. During this time, I developed a deep admiration for Bob—his unwavering patriotism and the grace with which he carried himself stood out to everyone who knew him. Bob embodied the qualities of a true gentleman, and his presence will be greatly missed by all.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to Shirley and to Bob’s entire family during this difficult time.

Larry Kennedy

Bob was a sweet man with a hilarious dry sense of humor. Good bye dear sir, you will be missed

Lynn Ramich

OBITUARY

Robert Clarence Hendel

July 30, 1938 – July 15, 2026

Brown-Wynne Funeral Home

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