Bobby Joe Orender

Bobby Joe Orender entered eternal rest on September 6, 2024. Bobby, also known as Bob, was born on June 12, 1939 in Glendale, Arizona to Leo and Agual Orender. He came to them as they were moving their family from Oklahoma to California during the Dust Bowl. Bob had three siblings, Leota, Clarence, and Leonard.

Bob’s family settled in Delano, California where Bob went to school. This is where he met his future wife, Patricia Gregory in the 6th grade. Bob graduated from Delano High School in 1957.

On December 16, 1961 Bobby married the love of his life, Patricia, in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Little Chapel of the West. He was called to serve in the Vietnam War shortly after, but thankfully only went through bootcamp and was never sent overseas. Bob and Pat welcomed their first born son, Gregory on July 27, 1964.

Bobby worked for the Western Farm Service for well over 40 years. That job sent him all over the country and he moved his family to Walla Walla, Washington where they had their second son, Eric on January 1, 1969. They spent several years there and made many friends and happy memories.They especially enjoyed the frequent camping trips. It was also during this time that he lost both of his parents, Leo in 1974 and Agual in 1977. Bob’s work called his family to move back to California, this time to Clayton, in 1985.

The last move they made was to Fresno, California in 1991. The 90’s brought some of the hardest times in Bobby’s life. In 1993, he lost both his sister, Leota and his son, Greg. A few years later in 1995, he lost his brother Clarence to a heart attack. October of 1997 brought some light in a dark time, however, as Bob gained his first and only grandchild, Heidi. Years later in 2018, he lost his last sibling Leonard.

Bob, Pat, Eric, and Heidi remained a strong family unit and nothing was more important to Bob. He also enjoyed golf and bowling, taking his family on vacations to Pismo Beach each Summer, and watching old Western films and keeping up with current events during the day. He had a deep love of animals and had many pets over the course of his life, and up to the point of his death he had a cat named Simba who viewed Bob as his special human. One of the last things Bob got to do was walk his granddaughter, who he had a huge hand in raising, down the aisle with her dad on July 20, 2024.

Bobby Joe Orender passed away suddenly from heart failure in the early morning of September 6, 2024 at Clovis Community Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Pat; son, Eric; granddaughter, Heidi and her husband, Tyler; niece, Lisa; sister-in-law, Marge; sister-in-law, Carole. Bobby will always be remembered for his humor, smile and warm hugs, and his huge heart for God, his family, and his friends. He will be greatly missed, more than words can say, but we take comfort that we will meet again one day.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 1:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church, 1540 M Street, Fresno, CA 93721.