Robert Delzell

1923 - 2012

Robert Oster Delzell
March 17, 1923 - August 8, 2012
Resident of Burlingame
Robert Oster Delzell passed away at age 89 after a fall. He joins his beloved wife Jane who died in February of this year and his well-loved dog Puck.
Robert (Bob) was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and enrolled in the University of Wisconsin. He joined the Army in 1943 as a second Lieutenant in the 8th Infantry Division and was sent to Normandy in the summer of 1944. He served as an infantry platoon leader in the 121st regiment of the 8th Infantry Division in France and Germany until the end of the war in Europe. He was proud of his service and freely shared his wartime experiences with veterans and civilians alike. He wrote extensively about this time in his life. His appreciation for the freedoms earned through war brought a deep sense of humanity to his life and a true appreciation for the simple pleasures of family and friends.
After the war he graduated from U. of Wisconsin, then headed west to pursue his interest in aviation. He received an M.S. Degree from Washington State College. In San Francisco he met his future wife Jane, also from Wisconsin, at an Eisenhower rally. He obtained his Secondary Teaching Credential from San Francisco State University. He taught high school science and physics for twenty-five years in the Jefferson Union High School District. Bob was a scientist at heart, and he never tired of learning. He read extensively, and he loved to share his enthusiasm for science and the natural world with his seven grandchildren.
Bob and Jane were married 58 years and their loving and devoted partnership was an inspiration to their children, grandchildren and friends. There was never a dull moment in the Delzell household due in large part to Bob's many passionate interests. Bob loved history and philosophy and studying the founding of our country - he always had a copy of the Constitution with him. Bob loved to sail and was an early and avid environmentalist who enjoyed the outdoors and fought early on to preserve the Bay. He loved poetry, especially Robert Burns' poems, and never left home without a poem in his pocket which he shared with friends and strangers alike. Bob loved to dance and would never turn down an opportunity to sing or tell a story.
Beginning in his teens Bob developed a passion for family genealogy. He was proud of his Scotch-Irish heritage and he spent countless hours researching his ancestry, creating a family website, and corresponding with other Delzell's around the world. He often told wonderful stories about his ancestor's lives. Bob's archives are now a part of the Smoky Mountain Historical Society. He was very proud to have discovered the burial place of his earliest known American ancestor, John Delzell , in a long abandoned cemetery in Maryville, Tennessee which recorded John's death in hand-carved inscription "John Delzell, died 1807".
Bob took great pride in his home. Until his late eighties he never hired anyone for a job he could do himself - he built the second floor of his home largely from recycled lumber. His garage was always filled with his latest woodworking project, whether it was a beautiful piece of furniture or a canoe built from scratch. His last unfinished project is a replica of Thomas Jefferson's standing desk. Bob's garden, especially his favorite apple tree, was a source or pleasure for him and provided his family with fifty years of homemade applesauce.
Bob was a life-long democrat, a religious Humanist, and a strong supporter of the ACLU (earning the Meta Kaufman/Roy Archibald Civil Liberties Award). As the Chair of the Northern Peninsula Chapter of the Police Practices Committee he took pride in working with the underserved. His goal was to work towards justice and government under law. He was a lifelong activist and was always involved in the issues of the day; he wrote hundreds of letters to the editor during his lifetime. His last great passion was to work with his neighborhood team to prepare for a disaster. He was CERT certified and well prepared for any emergency.
Despite the time he spent pursuing his many interests, his family was always dearest to him and his generosity of time, love, and guidance will never be forgotten. He is survived by daughter Suzanne Rogers of Burlingame (husband George deceased) and their children John, William, and Kathryn; son William Delzell of Burlingame and his children Jordan and Daniela; and son Robert Edwin Delzell and wife Naomi of Roanoke, Virginia and their children Sophia Stanley and Fiona Rose. Robert's son Stanley Kingsbury predeceased him in 1996.
A graveside memorial service will be held at a later date in Madison, Wisconsin where Robert and Jane will be buried together.