Robert Charles Holpuch

Bob spent most of his childhood in Joliet, Illinois, with his parents, Otto and Mary Beth, and his three sisters, Elizabeth, Elaine and Eileen. He excelled at sports from a young age, particularly basketball and baseball. He was nicknamed “horse” on his high school sports teams and after consistently pitching strikeouts, Bob accepted a scholarship to play baseball at the University of Iowa.

It was there that he met his wife, Jill. They moved to California in 1988 and though Bob eventually supported every professional sports team in California, he ultimately wanted Chicago’s Bulls, Bears, White Sox and Blackhawks to win the championships.

Bob and Jill shared their spirit for adventure with their daughters, Amanda and Emily, and were always taking them on last-minute road trips to explore the mountains, beaches and cities of California. When possible, the beloved family dogs would also join.

Bob’s favorite places included California’s big cities and beaches, Yosemite (he hiked Half Dome) and the Grand Canyon, but he also appreciated the more subtle nature in his backyard. He had an incredible skill for stopping mid-sentence to watch grazing deer and dropping whatever he was doing to go outside to watch thunderstorms, quietly enjoying the majesty of these scenes.

Bob was always reading a different book, listening to a new album and downloading a fresh podcast. He had an unquenchable appetite for learning new things, especially when it came to history and sports. He loved words and edited his daughters’ school papers, sent them interesting articles and even mastered the use of emojis in texts.

His belief in his daughters’ abilities was absolute and he carried no prejudices about what they could accomplish because of their gender or background. He encouraged his daughters to explore every passion and seize every opportunity, supporting them when they stumbled and celebrating each of their achievements.

As one of his heroes, Abraham Lincoln, advised, Bob acted “with malice toward none, with charity for all.” He was mystified by the capacity of some to discriminate against people who were different from themselves and had a deep-seated desire to see more justice and fairness in the world.

After 25 years working as a truck driver, Bob changed careers to become an accountant. Switching jobs was a welcomed challenge, but he benefited even more from the cherished coworkers who joined him on walks, played Uno with him at lunchtime and helped him when he was sick.

At only 55-years-old, his final year of life was marked by considerable physical pain as the symptoms of his rare liver disease took their toll. His sharp wit, which was defined by an outstanding skill for one-liners, was on display in the hospital when he made jokes with his family, nurses and doctors.

Memorial contributions may be made to PSC Partners or the Sacramento Food Bank.