Rob lived just down the street from me on Channing, We spent considerable time together, with baseball being one of our passions. One memory that comes to mind is the times that we made tunnels in the very tall weeds that would grow in what is now Elanor Park. I remember losing shoes in that area never to be found again.
I have a scar on my head, the result of one of our many rock/dirt clod fights. Rob and I spent many hours together and those are fond memories.
Fooling around in the parking lot one afternoon at Paly I discovered that the key to my parents Cheverolet fit Rob's Corvette and took it for a spin. Ofcourse, he never knew. I thought little of it at the time but have since wished that I had shared the story with him and apologized. Ah well.
I never really knew Rob at Paly, but I knew he had a Corvette - which put him right on the top of my list of most admired people in the world. I did have the pleasure of chatting with Rob briefly at our renuion - and I came away with the feeling - that I wished we had been friends back in the day. Rest in peace, Rob.
At our 50th reunion Rob approached me as we were close friends in elementary school and relatively close at Paly. We reminisced about our infamous drag race with his Corvette pitted against my '56 Chevy. Quite a crowd had gathered and Mike Backlund was the "starter" using his Pendleton shirt as the flag. Instead of waving the flag Mike dropped it onto the ground and Rob immediately burned rubber over it. Rob and I both remembered losing the race to the other. Oh well !!
We spoke of his illness at the reunion and it saddened me deeply.
Rob, was a genuine and thoughtful guy--It is interesting how at this stage in life I remember those personal traits and the spirit of the person more than anything else. There are lots of memories and stories of where we carried on as "boys will be boys" ( which probably would have landed us in jail today) and I chuckle about them and appreciate hearing others writing about them. I remember talking to him at our 50th and how he was battling this disease----I am glad I (we) had a chance to connect with him and express some of our fondness and appreciation for him. Craig
Rob and I lived back to back. Rob on Channing and I on Greenwood Ave. Our yards were divided by a grape stake fence approximately 6' high once in a while I would hop over it and we would spend time together. Rob's yard had peach trees with beautiful ripe, juicy, plump fruit. My yard was filled with various ripe fruit trees as well as grapes berries and nuts. Other kids from the hood would come over, during summer, to share from its bounty. One such visitor, from across the street, was Susie Belli, related to the late Melvin Belli. Hearing a commotion, I turned to see Susie standing at the grape stake fence, head bent forward, one hand on each hip peering through a hole in the fence reading Rob the riot act. Chewing Him out for, I don't know what. Moving to a better vantage point, I saw Rob, with the determination of a pitcher ready to strike out an opponent, calmly reached down and picked up an over ripened peach and with a strong and steady arm, unloaded the peach in the direction of the hole in the fence. In a split second that peach had found its mark. The pit had lodged itself, firmly, between the two fence boards; However the meat of the peach continued on finding its mark all over Susie's head, neck and shoulders. Off she ran, back home, yelling and screaming of the great injustice that had befallen her. All I could do was laugh, in amazement, of the accuracy of that pitch. (It's no wonder that Mike had a scar on his head.) God bless your soul Rob. See you in the heavenlys
I just found this page and want to thank all of you for posting such wonderful memories of Robbie. I miss him and am honored to have been married to him for 48 years. He had wonderful memories of his life in Palo Alto.
John T Sheretz Sheretz
John T Sheretz Sheretz
ROBBIE in 1954. Good memories.
Michael Backlund
Rob lived just down the street from me on Channing, We spent considerable time together, with baseball being one of our passions. One memory that comes to mind is the times that we made tunnels in the very tall weeds that would grow in what is now Elanor Park. I remember losing shoes in that area never to be found again.
I have a scar on my head, the result of one of our many rock/dirt clod fights. Rob and I spent many hours together and those are fond memories.
Rest in peace my friend.
Ken Edwards
Fooling around in the parking lot one afternoon at Paly I discovered that the key to my parents Cheverolet fit Rob's Corvette and took it for a spin. Ofcourse, he never knew. I thought little of it at the time but have since wished that I had shared the story with him and apologized. Ah well.
Michael Goltzer
I never really knew Rob at Paly, but I knew he had a Corvette - which put him right on the top of my list of most admired people in the world. I did have the pleasure of chatting with Rob briefly at our renuion - and I came away with the feeling - that I wished we had been friends back in the day. Rest in peace, Rob.
Richard Schump
At our 50th reunion Rob approached me as we were close friends in elementary school and relatively close at Paly. We reminisced about our infamous drag race with his Corvette pitted against my '56 Chevy. Quite a crowd had gathered and Mike Backlund was the "starter" using his Pendleton shirt as the flag. Instead of waving the flag Mike dropped it onto the ground and Rob immediately burned rubber over it. Rob and I both remembered losing the race to the other. Oh well !!
We spoke of his illness at the reunion and it saddened me deeply.
Richard
Craig Ritchey
Rob, was a genuine and thoughtful guy--It is interesting how at this stage in life I remember those personal traits and the spirit of the person more than anything else. There are lots of memories and stories of where we carried on as "boys will be boys" ( which probably would have landed us in jail today) and I chuckle about them and appreciate hearing others writing about them. I remember talking to him at our 50th and how he was battling this disease----I am glad I (we) had a chance to connect with him and express some of our fondness and appreciation for him. Craig
John T Sheretz Sheretz
Charles Robertson
Rob and I lived back to back. Rob on Channing and I on Greenwood Ave. Our yards were divided by a grape stake fence approximately 6' high once in a while I would hop over it and we would spend time together. Rob's yard had peach trees with beautiful ripe, juicy, plump fruit. My yard was filled with various ripe fruit trees as well as grapes berries and nuts. Other kids from the hood would come over, during summer, to share from its bounty.One such visitor, from across the street, was Susie Belli, related to the late Melvin Belli. Hearing a commotion, I turned to see Susie standing at the grape stake fence, head bent forward, one hand on each hip peering through a hole in the fence reading Rob the riot act. Chewing Him out for, I don't know what. Moving to a better vantage point, I saw Rob, with the determination of a pitcher ready to strike out an opponent, calmly reached down and picked up an over ripened peach and with a strong and steady arm, unloaded the peach in the direction of the hole in the fence. In a split second that peach had found its mark. The pit had lodged itself, firmly, between the two fence boards; However the meat of the peach continued on finding its mark all over Susie's head, neck and shoulders. Off she ran, back home, yelling and screaming of the great injustice that had befallen her. All I could do was laugh, in amazement, of the accuracy of that pitch. (It's no wonder that Mike had a scar on his head.)
God bless your soul Rob. See you in the heavenlys
Charlie Robertson
Robert Madrigan (DeSeelhorst)
I just found this page and want to thank all of you for posting such wonderful memories of Robbie. I miss him and am honored to have been married to him for 48 years. He had wonderful memories of his life in Palo Alto.
Julie DeSeelhorst