Robert Wiebe

1953 - 2021

Robert Wiebe
July 17, 1953 - October 7, 2021
Fresno, California - Robert Leon Wiebe, loving husband, father, and papa, passed away on October 7, 2021, surrounded by his family.
A third-generation resident of Fresno County, Robert was the founding partner of Wiebe Hinton Hambalek, LLP, originally formed in 2003 as Wiebe and Associates. Robert's career in accounting began decades earlier with a three-year stint at the Internal Revenue Service before he moved on to a prominent Fresno firm. There he was a tax specialist and was named partner in 1978.
Over the course of his career he developed indispensable industry experience in real estate and agriculture, and was a highly sought-after consultant on many key real estate developments throughout the valley and California. In addition to his technical expertise, he was proud to have built a cutting-edge accounting firm that will honor his legacy for years to come. Robert also managed harvest and day-to-day operations at the family farmstead in Reedley, first owned by his grandfather.
Robert was active in many community organizations, including the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation, for which he served as a director and was the current treasurer. He also supported the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the Fresno Historical Society, and Fresno Survivors of Suicide Loss. A supporter of local art, he displayed works from Fresno artists in his offices, including a commissioned sculpture by the late-artist Clem Renzi, "The Balancing Act," which depicts Robert's vision of the accounting profession.
Robert was a hobbyist-historian drawn to presidential biographies and treatises on the beginnings of American government. His enthusiasm for Alexander Hamilton long preceded the founding father and first secretary of the treasury's Broadway debut.
He also enjoyed genealogical research. His archival work brought together members of his extended family and, in one joyous case, reunited a father and son.
Robert loved spending time with his grandsons on the family ranch, driving them through persimmon groves on his father's 1940s-era Ford tractor. An avid baseball fan, he closely followed the San Francisco Giants.
Robert earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from California State University, Fresno and graduated from Reedley High School, where he was a basketball player and competitive debater. His debate partner, Therese Givens, later became his wife.
Robert is survived by his wife and his children, Sarah Theresa and Christopher Robert; his sisters Bertha Kubeck, Darlene Helms, and Beverly Buckley; and grandchildren Jaden Louis and Diego Christopher, as well as Esmeralda Leona, due in April 2022.
Details about a memorial service to celebrate Robert's life are forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Robert's memory are encouraged to make a donation to the Central Valley Training Center, which prepares disadvantaged populations for the workforce, a project that was close to Robert's heart. For more information, please contact Lee Ann Eager at Leager@fresnoedc.com, or (559) 476-2513.