Robert A. Watts

April 01, 1936 - May 16, 2025

Robert (Bob) Arthur, aged 89, died peacefully on May 16, 2025 in Victoria, BC. Bob was born on April 1, 1936 (on his father's birthday!) to Bill and Alice Watts in Prince Rupert, BC. As a teenager, he moved with his family to Nanaimo and then Vancouver. After graduating from Magee Secondary School in Vancouver, he obtained a B.Sc. in Chemistry from UBC in 1958 and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1961 (realizing 60 years of CPABC membership in 2021). While at UBC, Bob met a young coed, Rosemary (Rofey) Coleman, when she joined her cousin to help clean up his fraternity house one day. Bob and Rofey fell in love and were inseparable from that point on, marrying in 1959. His career took the growing family from Vancouver to Fraser Lake, BC to California and eventually to Victoria, BC, with his work travels taking him all over the world. He built several mineral exploration and development and mining companies during his career, and sat on various public company boards as a trusted advisor.

Ultimately Bob and Rofey settled in Victoria, building their forever home on Queenswood Drive where they resided happily for over 40 years.

While Bob loved and was highly accomplished in his career, he was even happier in retirement, continuing to sit on public company boards and, proudly, on the board of Dawson Heights Housing, a non-profit housing complex associated with the Anglican Church. He served as Board Chair during many of Dawson Heights' years of significant growth, as it developed much needed seniors housing in Victoria. Primarily as a result of this involvement, Bob was awarded the Order of the Diocese of British Columbia in 2021.

Despite his many accomplishments, our Dad was exceedingly humble. He never sought recognition for his work, he was just happy to do good and to help those who needed it.

Dad was a fount of knowledge; he had an insatiable curiosity and loved reading, and was a great conversationalist who drew people to him effortlessly. He was a man of many talents who would build decks and fences at home on the weekends, while still finding time to referee youth soccer games, attend Church and spend time with his family and so many family friends. He was the sage advisor that many sought out for guidance - when he spoke, you listened. Most important, he was a model of integrity in everything he did and was so very kind, always generous with his time and resources.

Bob was truly happiest spending time with his Rofey and doting on their grandchildren at the family vacation property on Pender Island; being a grandfather was his greatest joy in life. We will not forget his happy whistling as he enjoyed doing whatever was the task at hand, or his deep slow chuckle as he appreciated a good story or joke.

Even as he was robbed of his cognition in his final few years, Bob's essence remained: he was kind and gentle to the end. He was a wonderful, caring father, grandfather and great-grandfather and we will miss him dearly.

Bob was predeceased by his darling Rofey (2023), his siblings Joyce, Rick and Jane, and siblings-in-law Bruce, Ann, Margaret and Mike. He is survived by his children Megan, Robert, Merry and John and their spouses (Mark, Theresa, Kristine), his brother Bill (Bree), his siblings-in-law and spouses (Sally & Dick, Barb, Chris & Judith), 12 grandchildren and their spouses, and one great-grandchild with another on the way.

We wish to thank both the wonderful staff at Sunrise of Victoria and the special caregivers at Care and Company, who all took such excellent care of our Dad. We especially appreciate Bob's in-laws Sally and Dick who were so good to him in his final years, with Dick taking him on weekly driving adventures around Victoria.

A memorial service will be held for Bob at St Luke's Anglican Church, 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Road, on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 1:00pm, with reception to follow.