Robert Michael Barsley

Rob passed away in his sleep at a medical facility in El Cajon where he had been receiving care the past 7 months. He had surgery for removal of cancerous tumors in Dec 2025, and was receiving ongoing treatment for complications & other medical issues.

Despite his condition, Rob remained in contact with friends & family, and visited with 2 close friends at the Care Facility in the last weekend prior to his death.

Per his wishes, Rob’s remains were cremated. Family & friends will host a celebration of Rob’s life in the San Diego area in late Fall 2026; more details to be determined.

Rob was born in Torrance California in 1953, the 2nd son of Edward & Elizabeth Barsley. Growing up in a large family with a number of siblings, Rob was usually leading everyone in sports, games & other activities (and yes, stirring up some trouble!). Rob always loved any kind of sports, and was a talented athlete. Rob enjoyed playing football, basketball, softball, track & field, beach volleyball, alpine skiing, golf, and anything else he could compete at.

Rob also developed a passion for reading and for doing fine art (especially pencil sketches) which he continued to enjoy for many years.

Rob made many friends in the neighborhood and at school, and stayed friends with some of these people his entire life.

He attended Crenshaw Elementary School and North High School in Torrance. At North High, he competed on the football and track & field teams. In HS he also worked at the Broadway Department Store, and was a youth sports leader for the local Parks & Rec. Department.

Following NHS graduation, Rob attended El Camino Community College in Torrance, then transferred to San Diego State University. There, Rob graduated from SDSU with a BA in Physical Education and remained a proud Aztec alumni and sports fan for the rest of his life. He also loved the San Diego area which eventually became his permanent home, and the place where he met many life-long friends.

After college, Rob moved to Steamboat Springs Colorado for a short but action-packed time which included snow skiing, partying, and construction work.

He then moved back to SD to enjoy the great weather and lived for many years in Pacific Beach. While there he participated a number of times in the notorious “Over the Line” Softball tournaments at Mission Bay. Rob worked as a bartender and a waiter at many SD-area drinking/ dining establishments. His favorite probably was his days at the iconic Hotel Del Coronado, which provided him with a wealth of stories talking about the rick & famous people he mingled with there!

Rob also worked as a landscaper and a handyman, and owned a couple of small businesses including a palm tree nursery. Along the way, Rob moved to Santee, fished & played golf, took road trips to Mexico and various US states, and was a die-hard Padres & SDSU fan (and Chargers fan, until they moved to LA!)

Rob always had jokes to tell, and was the type of character everyone remembers! He had an extremely active social life, with a large number of friends, and was never married.

He is preceded in death by both his parents, and is survived by his siblings Rick, Greg, Gary, Brian & Susan, along with several nieces & nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made on-line in Rob’s name to 2 organizations which he supported: the San Diego Zoo or the SD Zoo Safari Park, through those websites.