Robert Owen Simons

--A Tribute

Bob Simons was a pure force of nature. His energy, his curiosity, his ironic wit and great good humor, his immediate impulse to engage with you, his intelligence and his compassion, have impacted scores of people over the decades of his many life paths.

Borth in Chicago and raised in Galveston, Texas, Bob received his college degree from Notre Dame University. He spent most of his adult life in California and Oregon.

Bob was a master merchandiser and retail executive for reputable companies such as The Emporium in San Francisco, as well as Lipman’s and Norm Thompson in Portland, Oregon. He traveled the world to discover and create unique products for retail markets. His congenial, attuned, intelligent personality opened many doors with manufactures throughout the world.

While Bob excelled at his career, he held a voracious interest in artists of every kind. His home was a gallery of art, sculpture and photography. His music collection of every genre was the envy of many. We were all in awe of his vast movie collection, estimated at more than ten thousand films. We recall fondly the annual three-day movie festivals he held among three theaters in his home. We could see, and be inspired by, brilliant new, and also classical, works.

After his professional career, Bob devoted himself to volunteer work. He gave his time, intelligence and resources to Meals on Wheels, Outside In and organizations who benefited from his dedication as an ombudsman. Bob loved politics but not in that divisive, quarrelsome way. He was just fascinated and amused by political gamesmanship and drama.

His true, life-long passion was people. He loved meeting new people, reconnecting with old friends, and hearing all of their stories. He also loved sharing their stories with others.

Beneath his wit and his worldly endeavors, Bob had a caring heart and the soul of a deeply sensitive, spiritual seeker. He appreciated truths found in all religions.