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In memory of
Robert "Bob" Leroy Wilson
September 11, 1941 - May 24, 2020
Sep 11, 1941 - May 24, 2020
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In lieu of flowers
Please consider a donation to a trust being set up in Bob's grandchildren's names..
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Robert "Bob"'s obituary
After some years in Traverse City, Bob's family moved to Mastic, Michigan in Manistique. There, they had the first drive-in restaurant. Bob and his brother, Larry, made all the ice cream for the root beer floats. Bob and the family all worked hard and he was never not moving. He peeled potatoes for french fries, he was a runner, and basically filled any job he could. During this time, his Dad had a car lot near the restaurant. When Bob was not working at the restaurant, he would go over and wash cars for his Dad and helped him keep the lot clean. He was always a hard worker, always busy helping someone and continued this ethic to the end. In 1957, the family moved to Houghton Lake, Michigan. There, his Mom taught school. Leroy continued with cars. Beside the cars, Leroy also played and booked Jazz clubs during his lifetime, booking black musicians at a time of segregation.
In Houghton Lake, Lilah headed up the PTA carnivals and had boxing matches between Bob and his brother Larry. She, and their other older brother, Warren, would be the referees. Their boxing names were “Bobby the Burp” and “Larry the Louse.” They were suited in proper boxing gloves. Their sister Barbie exclaimed that she was always afraid “they would hurt each other but Warren would never allow it.” Bob had stories of learning how to twirl a baton with Larry. They stopped once they found out they would have to march around the neighborhood. There is another story of the neighborhood girls chasing them home from school with an axe at times. The family was always full of tales and seemed to give each other great company, much love and also many laughs.
The Wilson family eventually found themselves in Mount Pleasant, Michigan where Bob attended high school and met his forever best friends, John Kennedy and George Hall. Everyone remembered Bob and his cars and George was the same. His friendship with George started with Bob pulling up and honking his car at George. He opened the door and said “Get in.” That’s how they first met. Barbara said he taught her how to drive. Sheila said he let her drive his 1957 Chevy whenever she wanted, making her feel “so cool.” Bob was then drafted into the service during Vietnam, and was stationed in Munich, Germany. Upon his return, he lived with his older brother Donald Wilson and his spouse Ginny; first in Indiana and then soon followed them to Southern California. John Kennedy said that they would meet at the 24-hour gas station in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan because it was the only thing open, which was also odd for the small town. It was in the middle of May when Bob told John, George and Pete Williams that he was going to hitchhike to CA and off he went.
Bob met his spouse Grace Wilson at an employee party that was organized by Hasa Company. During this time, three brothers: Don, Jack, and Bob all worked at Hasa. Bob again continued with his work ethic and soldiered on for the company. When Bob met Grace she was in her late 20s. Grace had ventured to California from Canatlán, Durango, Mexico when she was 18 to find work. Her best friend's husband worked at the plant and that’s how they met at the party. Bob then took the giant leap and went down to Mexico to marry Grace over one Thanksgiving weekend. He would call her and write letters while she was in Mexico. She would have a neighbor interpret them for her. He told her he would come down to marry her but she was afraid to tell her parents; in the situation, he didn't show. In addition, her brother Jose was quite protective of his sister marrying a stranger and a gringo. Then one day around Thanksgiving, Grace’s older sister, Stella, who lived in CA, called her and asked if Bob was there. Grace exclaimed "Oh, my God" and had to make an immediate plan with her other sisters on what to do and how to pick him up from the airport in Durango, the main city, about 45 minutes from the small town.
He did not know Spanish, nor the small town where she was from and was merely told that once you are there, ask for the Obregon family and they will know where to take you. He had to win over Jose during a challenging hunting trip a day after the marriage. I only remember them as laughing friends. Our Dad seemed to have made it through Jose's test. Soon thereafter, the whole town grew enamored of Bob and to this day call him “The Gringo.” People have been asking for him, since the news of his passing. Also sharing many smiles and stories about our Gringo.
He never really picked up the language but was able to go through town and communicate with all and do things with the locals without any boundaries; including, celebrating dia de San Juan el Bautista (Day of St. John The Baptist) on June 24th where he went into a “men only bar” and threw water on all the tough cowboys with guns on their waists. He ran out across the street to Grace's family home but the men merely laughed and celebrated the moment. He was also always a fantastic dancer. He won them over at parties and twirled anyone around that wanted to. It almost seemed like he didn't grasp the language just to make everything more adventurous. Within a year of the marriage, Bob and Grace had me, Lilah, named after Bob's mother. Then five years later came my sister, Laura Le Wilson, whose middle name Le is taken from his father Leroy. As a family, we took many trips driving to Mexico to see the family - a three-day car ride. We also celebrated his family in Michigan usually by spending time on Rennie Lake where Don built a cottage and Bob spent many of his childhood and adult years at. Bob grew up on the lake and became the top boat driver for the water skiers. He claimed because he was the skinniest.
Our Dad was and I believe still is, an amazing soul. He gave us a love for music, dancing, cars, and most importantly a love for life. If you asked him to do something he would say “yes, let's do it” or find a way. He knew all the roads, all the little special places, and usually someone in each city and small town he visited. This instilled the "can't stop me" attitude I hold and how I have survived all my chapters of life, looking for the good in every second spent and in every person I met. My sister also carries his carefree attitude and belly laugh that most remember him for. He would throw back his head and laugh with everyone. He told us we could do whatever we wanted and we believed it. It was never that easy for him, so we knew what it meant to live life freely, if we chose. However, he always assured that "everything would be all right" no matter the circumstances. He gave us the ability to speak to anyone and about anything. He taught us, that it only took a smile.
The family stayed in California for most of Laura and my young adult life. We grew up without filters and a reason, I believe, we have the spirits and open minds that we do. We went to drive-ins when films like "Tootsie" and "The Shining'' premiered, despite our age. We also were allowed to stay up late at night to watch Carol Burnett, Steve Martin and late night TV. We went to movie premieres in Hollywood and watched all the Disney releases except "Alice and Wonderland" - which he had a fear for. He attended every softball game, despite his disinterest in sports, every dance recital, and school event. He even went to open houses for my cousins, whose parents’ English was not that fluent, so that he could check in properly with the teachers and report. He was a man that took home 2 French lodgers that he found on Venice Beach - only to become lifelong friends. He was a Dad that took me to Melrose, to the 24-hour newspaper stand to get something for a school report that was due the next day. He used to like going to Santa Monica Car Wash to look for celebrities. He knew everything that was “happening,” including the launch of MTV. He made sure we had cable to watch the moon man arrive. He also taught us classics and introduced us to old-time radio, most importantly: George Burns and Betty White. As a pool man, he took us to all these amazing pools. He taught us how to drive by putting us on his lap at an early age. He would point to cars and ask what they were, especially the classics. He often liked to go to the Bob's Big Boy car show on Fridays in Burbank. We would also spend New Years’ Eve camping out waiting for the Rose Bowl Parade. Every holiday was an adventure, including Easter at Olvera Street which included a walk through Union train station, a subway ride from Echo Park to Long Beach on Thanksgiving or maybe a meal at Knott’s Berry Farm for whatever reason.
What we remember most is his love for music and how he danced with us. Bobby-sock swirling, twisting, and even funky disco dancing and “The Hustle.” He would take our hand in the car and sway back and forth and have us sing along to Bobby Darrin, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, and then onto disco faves making us guess who the band or singer was. 70s rock and roll killed dancing, so there was none of that around. Vinyl came home religiously. I still remember the 45 rpm of Blondie's "One Way or Another" and when Tom Jones released "Kiss.” He loved the roller rink where he also took his grandchild when they were in Vegas. He took us to our first concerts: Sha Na Na at Hollywood Bowl for myself and Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 at Dodger Stadium for Laura and the whole family. When we were old enough, he would drive us and drop us off at concerts as if we were alone. But word had it, that he would often enter the dance clubs and shows to watch, check in and take in the scene.
For a long time, he had his pool store and this was the place that we would check in, on the way to places to tell him where we were going. There, he also had the best customers, such as Patrick Swayze, who he arranged to have Laura meet. The store was a lifeline for him, as it was filled with daily characters and conversations - and the man could talk. He talked to everyone and anyone. When the store had to close, it took a lot from him but then he started on to more travels and would drive anywhere to meet someone or to help someone. His sister Sheila believed that "if she asked him to get her to the moon - he would have. He would just say sure.”
It took so long to write a memorial because of all the calls and stories that came in after his passing. The most common one was Uncle Bob and a dollar bill. He would go around every city and pay people $1 to call him Uncle Bob. That $1 would start a dialogue and friendship and create smiles. He was loved by everyone. From all these continuous stories, I now understand more where my wackiness and free spirit comes from. It is a little sad to understand this more after his passing, but I am so glad that I have been celebrating him my whole life and will continue to do so. In fact we cremated a dollar bill with him, with a note that wished for it to multiply where he was so that he could continue being Uncle Bob.
For his last chapter in hospice, his immediate family: our Mom, my sister and her two children and I, were able to drive to him, to be with him, with masks on and all the covid rules in place. Very surreal, but also a blessing, as so many people are losing family and friends, without family visitation rights. For that, we were lucky but it was also scary. His nieces: Lyn with husband Steve and Lisa, with husband David, son Drew and Scout the dog were there for him too.
I arrived last, after a 27-hour drive. Upon arrival, we discussed my trip as I shared the Mexican Coca-Cola I brought for him. While talking, Seinfeld came on, specifically an episode about a "Bra" that we discussed when Jerry Stiller died, a couple weeks prior. Stiller was one of his favorite comedians. The song "Singing in the Rain" was on an advertisement in between the show. This piqued his interest and on the second playing, he smiled, put up his fingers to orchestrate and sang along. I then played the bit from the film with the tap dancing and intro. He said "that's the one.” He put his fingers between mine to dance - though only able to sway his hand. The next day the family all watched the film together. I took his younger grandchild and danced around to the song for him. That evening he left us. I played "Someday We'll Be Together" by Diana Ross and the Supremes. He said that he wanted that played at his funeral. I then continued with music that he loved so that he could dance into the heavens with style. He left peacefully, without pain and surrounded by his family.
I want to remind all to take the time to make calls to your loved ones. We are in a strange place with all this unrest and illness. In many ways, I am glad our Dad is not in lock-down watching the world break down. Now he is looking over us and will hopefully help guide us all into a better light and way of life. You all have Uncle Bob looking over you. I can promise you, he will give all the love he can to make things better.
I invite everyone to share their stories with our Dad and also feel free to write me them privately if need be. I am going to collect a memory book for the grandkids. I am so touched by all the voices and stories. When it is safe we will organize a gathering. Because there is no service availabilities, covid existence and an uncertainty of the future, in lieu of flowers a trust is being set up for Bob's grandchildren. Donations can be made here on this site. Please contact me if you would like to send a check at NotesforUncleBob@gmail.com.
Love to all! Please have a dance to a song that moves you. He would love that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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In lieu of flowers
Please consider a donation to a trust being set up in Bob's grandchildren's names..
$73.00
total raised
Recent contributions
Recent contributions
In lieu of flowers
Please consider a donation to a trust being set up in Bob's grandchildren's names..
$73.00
total raised
Recent contributions
Recent contributions
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Created with love by
Lilah Wilson (Robert "Bob"'s daughter).
