My Tribute to Bob...

 I read this at Bob's celebration of life this afternoon...

“For a growing number of Americans the idea of family extends beyond the old definition of blood ties. In many ways friends are the new family. They're there to commiserate with you, celebrate with you and provide the kind of everyday emotional support that humans crave. When family is distant- whether physically or emotionally- friends fill the vacuum, especially at the holidays.”

This was printed in the USA TODAY 5 days before Christmas in 2005, and that same year my sister, Emily, Kyndall and I gave our parents framed pictures of the three of us with this quote on it.

We started as teammates, just Kyndall and I, then realized our families were neighbors and very quickly we all became the best of friends. It wasn’t long before we were spending birthdays and holidays together not to mention most afternoons at the ballpark and essentially every weekend too.

Kyndall is the little sister I never had. We get in trouble together, fight with one another but most of all have in each other an unconditional love that all sisters carry.

And Kimbo is my alternate mama. She takes care of me and worries about me like I am her own. Because I am, because we were friends who became a family…

Bob too. Bob and I had this really unique relationship. See I spew a bunch of bullshit at times. And I know that I probably shouldn’t say bs like that in a church, but Bob probably wouldn’t mind. He would call me on it though. Because that’s what he did. Anytime I had something ridiculous to say, Bob let me know just how ridiculous it was.

I go on rants a lot. But usually no one pays any attention. But Bob did…Bob always did. Even if he didn’t agree with it, he listened to me. He listened to me and then he would tell me exactly why he thought I was so totally ridiculous.

And that was just Bob…which is what I called him… Just Bob. I don’t remember exactly when I started calling him that, but I do remember the conversation. I went off about being awesome. And when I asked Bob what he was, he replied, “Just Bob.” It couldnt be more spot on either. He wasn’t a sucker for gimmicks or any of my BS for that matter.

He was a father, damn good one. And a writer and editor and husband. And he was better than most in all those areas too. He didn’t need some nonsense adjective to describe him. He was Just Bob.

And he had a pretty powerful impact on this world because of it. His talent professionally left Central Texas with some really great newspapers. He lived and traveled all over the United States from Vermont to his beloved LBC. And people all along the way loved him. Loved him for being Just Bob.

That fun, easy going, surfer dude. He was rarely caught without sunglasses or a Hawaiian shirt which just starts off any interaction with him on a good note. Then there was his dry, blunt sense of humor that made for some real entertainment at family dinners or anytime he chose to make us laugh.

In the end he fought cancer for two years, well over two years really. And in that time he showed all of us what it is to fight. He didn't give up. And he didn't lose that sense of humor either. In the bitter end we found him playing nurses off of one another and giving us smiles even when there didn't seem like much to be happy about.

We are lucky to have known Bob and even luckier to get to celebrate his life today because that means we have him looking out for us for the rest of our given lives.

In closing I want to say thanks. Thanks Bob for allowing my family to be apart of yours. And I’ll miss you Just Bob, but don’t think that you leaving this Earthly world will keep you from hearing my BS, I’ll be talking to you, and I know you’ll listen and I know that because right now I’m sure you are up there in Heaven rolling your eyes at me for saying a cuss word in a church. And that is fine, cause that means just like always you were listening.

xoxo Sara Marie