Search by Name

Robert Henry "Bob" McLachlan

1926 - 2013

Robert Henry "Bob" McLachlan obituary, 1926-2013, Watsonville, CA

BORN

1926

DIED

2013

Robert McLachlan Obituary

Robert Henry "Bob" McLachlan
June 30, 1926 - April 28, 2013
Resident of Watsonville
Our father, Bob, was born in Harbin, in the Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China. His father George James McLachlan was a salesman for Texaco Oil and his mother, Raisa Zdonov was a Russian expatriate who moved to Harbin from Russian with her mother and her sisters.
Bob lived in China and Southeast Asia before coming to the United States in 1940. He attended military school and CSU Long Beach in Southern California, and the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, California. Bob enlisted in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and did a term as a merchant marine. His time on the water took him from Anacortes, Washington down the South American coast.
Bob settled in San Francisco, California around 1950 and worked as a fresh produce broker for various companies. He met his future wife, Marilyn Mullin, on a blind date at Berkeley's Claremont Hotel. Soon after the birth of their first child, Robert, they moved to Salinas, California and eventually settled in Watsonville, California. Bob worked as a produce broker for over 50 years.
Bob traveled all over California through seasons of lettuce and melons. He loved to ski, play tennis, golf, do brain teaser word games and was a skilled card player. He also had an intense passion for sports and was a diehard LA Dodgers and Lakers fan. Bob was well known in our family for his dry, wicked sense of humor.
Bob and Marilyn raised five children in Watsonville, California. Marilyn passed away on May 29, 2013. They are survived by four of their children, spouses and two grandchildren: Ann McLachlan Harmon and her husband Jim Harmon of New York City, David McLachlan, his wife Jennifer and their daughter Lauren (9) of La Selva Beach, California, Erin McLachlan of San Francisco, California and Elizabeth McLachlan, her wife Catherine Dolph and their daughter Julia (6) of Healdsburg, California. Their son Robert passed away in 2007.
Cremation took place earlier this week by Mehl's Chapel in Watsonville, California.

Published by Santa Cruz Sentinel on May 5, 2013.
34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315A

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Memories and Condolences
for Robert McLachlan

Not sure what to say?





0 Entries

Be the first to post a memory or condolences.

Make a Donation
in Robert McLachlan's name

Memorial Events
for Robert McLachlan

To offer your sympathy during this difficult time, you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one.

How to support Robert's loved ones
Commemorate a cherished Veteran with a special tribute of Taps at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.

Read more
Attending a Funeral: What to Know

You have funeral questions, we have answers.

Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?

What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?

Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?

We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.

Read more
Resources to help you cope with loss
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Estate Settlement Guide

If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.

Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast

Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.

Read more
The Five Stages of Grief

They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.

Read more
Ways to honor Robert McLachlan's life and legacy
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituary Templates

These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.

Read more
Obituary Examples

You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.

Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?

Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.

Read more