Robert Burger

1931 - 2019

Robert Eugene Burger

June 21, 1931 - February 6, 2019

Robert Eugene Burger (Bob) of Arcata, CA died peacefully at home in his sleep. He was 87 years old. He lived a full and extraordinary life, pursued always with passion and vigor.

Bob was born in the copper-processing company town of Thompson, Nevada (now a ghost town) to Edmund and Rose Burger. The family moved to California where Bob attended grammar school, high school (St. Joseph's College High School of Mountain View) and college (St. Joseph's Junior College and UC Berkeley). In 1951 he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha of California Chapter (University of California). He received his BA in Philosophy from UC Berkeley in 1954, graduating with honors.

Although he originally considered becoming a priest, his plan changed when he met and fell in love with his best friend's cousin from Chicago, Theresa. They married in 1954, had 10 children, and remained in love for the next 64-1/2 years. Together they built their life in Berkeley (over 30 years) and Arcata, yet Bob was always a San Franciscan at heart.

Bob's eclectic interests and his passion for knowledge permeated his life. He pursued a career in editing and writing, and founded and ran the successful San Francisco advertising agency, Burger, Felix and Wood. He authored, co-authored, and ghost authored over thirty books, in areas ranging from health and nutrition, to wine, marriage and chess.

Chess was a major part of Bob's life from a very young age. He was a US Master, a frequent chess magazine contributor and editor, a college lecturer, chess reporter and analyst. One of Bob's own favorite chess anecdotes involved beating chess great, Bobby Fischer (12 moves, a simul at the Mechanics' Institute Library and Chess Room in San Francisco, April 1964). It's been reported that following his quick loss to Burger, Fischer responded, "Well done, Burger."

Ultimately Bob's focus in chess moved to problem composition--in particular, 2-move problems--for which he received awards throughout his life, as late as 81 years of age. He was ranked as one of the top American chess problem composers.

Bob was an active runner, completing over 35 marathons. He volunteered at numerous running events, particularly for the Six Rivers Running Club of Humboldt County. He also had a life-long fascination with the culinary arts, and always found ways to blend cooking with running events (as well as many other social events, family reunions, etc), hosting post-race meals at Chez-Burger.

Wild and fun adventures in the woods on regular camping and backpacking trips, hikes, train trips and other travel, often shared with close friends as well as family, were normal parts of Bob's life.

In their many travels Bob and Theresa spent time in Boston, where Bob became fascinated by the history of the city and "Freedom Trail," a blue line painted on the side walks that leads tourists along a path of historic sites. When they returned home to Berkeley, the idea for a similar walk through his beloved San Francisco took hold, and so was born the beginnings of the "Gold Rush Trail."

Bob's entreprenurial spirit led to pursuits with family and friends--some successful, others not--across a truly incredible range of ideas, from physics (computer memory) to transportation, wine making, and bringing history alive with the Goldrush Trail. No matter what the pursuit, Bob always lived like he was having the time of his life. He explored fearlessly and often.

Above all, Bob was a devoted family man. He is survived by his wife, Theresa, nine of his ten children: Eileen (Steve), Marlene (Casey), Bobby (Vicki), Diane (John), Bitsa, Dan (Jenny), John (Linda), Clare (Kurt), and Chris (Jill); eleven grandchildren: Sean (Kelly), Andrew, Madelyn (Drew), Dominic, Silas, Stella, Neville, Miren, Kali, Sophia, and Nino; four great grandchildren: Drake, Etta, Kaleo, and Naisa; his younger brother Denis; and a multitude of cousins, nieces and nephews and other extended family, and many, many dear friends from all his numerous walks of life. He was predeceased by his brother Ed, sisters Margaret and Marilyn, and his son Joseph.

Thank you's are due to Dr. Alison Palacios and her office, to Bitsa, Kat and Mary, and James, for making Bob's (and Theresa's) last two years as good as they could be.

A memorial is planned for April 20 at his Arcata home.