Robert Bay

09/01/1938 - 02/01/2026

Bob passed away peacefully surrounded by love, on February 1, 2026, and now joins his beloved wife of 44 years, Danielle, who predeceased him in 2012.

He is survived by his children, Eric (Sandra) and Cathy (Carol); grandchildren, Emily and Jordan; relatives in France (Regine and Patrick Bogenmann and family, who call him 'Tonton Canada' and Louis and Maryse Bay); in Montreal (Joseph and Lucie Fernandes and family); and loved friend, Laura Chow, and family.

He is predeceased by his parents, Armand and Catherine; sister and brother-in-law, Denise and Raymond Leiterer; nephew, Christian Leiterer; and parents-in-law, Joseph and Marie Fernandes.

Born in Hochstatt, France, Bob grew up under German rule during World War II. After the war, the family moved to Ile-Napoleon. His first job out of school was at the French Railway as a management trainee until he was drafted into the French Air Force (Sergeant).

In 1961, he started working in a manufacturing company in Mulhouse and was offered a position in a new department, computing. He worked as a programmer, though the company did not yet own a computer. For the first year, the programmers were writing programs and would have to go to Stuttgart, Germany, or Paris with suitcases full of punched cards to test their programs.

Bob had a dream of going to America, and in 1964, he took a two-month holiday and flew to New York. With a bus pass, he explored Mexico, the United States, and Canada by himself, all without knowing English.

In 1966, he got his Canadian visa and moved to Montreal, where he met Danielle. They married in June 1967 and had Eric in March 1968. The family decided to move to Vancouver in May 1969, and Cathy was born later that year. In 1975, they moved to France but decided home was Canada and returned in 1976.

Bob had a passion for computers, spending his working years in Vancouver mainly with A&W (where he was mentor to lifelong friend Mike Patko) and later with DL Jones.

More than his passion for computers was his love of travel, and with Danielle travelled often to France and Montreal, throughout the United States, especially Hawaii, Australia, Europe, and Morocco (where Danielle was from). Bob got his pilot's licence, and flying was a big part of his life.

Bob was always mechanical, fixing his vehicles himself. He was always thinking about a new way of generating energy for cars and was working on designs for this. He was interested in alternative energy, especially the progress of algae conversion to a useful biofuel, especially for airplanes.

He always had a camera in hand, taking photos and videos of the family to send to relatives in Montreal and France. In later years, he gathered a large collection of tree photos, which was always a source of teasing from his family.

He spent many happy times in Calgary, especially with his grandchildren at the cabin and the Calgary Flames games.

A grateful thank you to the amazing staff at Berkley Care Centre, whose care and compassion made Bob's final years dignified and supported, and to Palliative Resource Nurse Vivien McTavish.

Bob's passing leaves a hole in many lives.

After a private cremation, Bob will be laid to rest with Danielle in Montreal.

To write a condolence to the family, please visit www.mckenziefuneralservices.com