Robert Dean "Bob" Hollars

1936 - 2022

Robert "Bob" Dean Hollars
1936 - 2022
Resident of Oroville, CA
Robert "Bob" Dean Hollars, age 85, passed away peacefully in his home with his wife Valarie by his side, in Oroville, California, on Wednesday June 22, 2022, while in hospice care, from complications of advanced Parkinson's. Bob was born in Long Beach, California, October 4, 1936, to his mother, Dorothy Marie Campbell and his father Donald Dean Hollars.
Bob's parents, Donald and Dorothy, relocated Bob and his beloved sister Donna, who predeceased Bob only a year ago, to Palo Alto when Bob was about eight years old. Bob completed his schooling through high school in Palo Alto, graduating from Palo Alto High School in 1954. Bob would frequently regale family and friends with amusing, heartwarming stories from this period of his life. He was often heard to say this was truly one of the best periods in his entire life. He remained in contact with Palo Alto High School friends and classmates throughout his life and so looked forward to the high school reunions. I don't think he ever missed one of his high school reunions.
Bob served two years in the Navy after graduating from high school. This also was a period in his life he thoroughly enjoyed. He so enjoyed being at sea and visiting foreign ports. Bob so loved being at sea he considered becoming a merchant marine.
After his discharge from the Navy Bob married and his two beloved children Curtis and Laura were born. Bob had so many fond memories of time spent with his children, swimming in the backyard pool, BBQs, boating and water skiing in the summers and little league with his son, although little league really was a family event. Bob helped coach and took pride in their little league team going to the little league world series!
Shortly after Bob's discharge from the Navy he went to work at Hewlett-Packard. He would always say they only hired him because they needed a catcher for their baseball team, he was a pretty good ball player. He very much enjoyed his time at Hewlett-Packard. He felt it was such a great place to work back when the co-founders David Packard and Bill Hewlett came out on the floor and spoke to everyone and knew them by name. It was during his time at Hewlett-Packard where one of them spoke to Bob about facilitating Bob going to college to complete his education. Bob did take advantage of their generosity and completed his education at San Jose State graduating with a BA and teaching credential. Teaching had become a dream of Bob's and soon after graduating he secured a position teaching high school.
But as the fickle finger of fate would have it, walking home from work one afternoon after a flat tire on his car, a San Jose Police officer stopped to give Bob a ride home. Those were the good old days! A brief conversation ensued, the officer dropped Bob off at his home and said, "We really need officers and I think you would make a really good one."
It wasn't long before Bob was an officer on San Jose Police Department where he served 27 years, retiring as a lieutenant in 1991. Bob found his time working at the department to be very interesting and rewarding. He had a variety of different assignments in various departments all of which he enjoyed immensely. He also enjoyed playing baseball on the police department team! Bob was a person known to be abundantly tolerant, nonjudgmental, levelheaded both professionally and in his personal dealings with others.
Bob retired to a golf community (Ridgemark) in Hollister, California with his wife Valarie where they both enjoyed many years of golf and relaxation with family and friends.
Bob felt he was extraordinarily fortunate to have had such a wonderfully rich life.
He loved his family deeply. He took such pride in every one of them. There was nothing he enjoyed more than spending time with his family.
Bob is survived by his wife Valarie, son Curtis Hollars, daughter Laura Pease, brother Rod Hollars (Betty), sister Peggy MacDonald, brother-in-law Jerry Hawkins, grandchildren Matt (Amy), Josh, Christopher, Taylor, great grandchildren Evelyn and Calvin, nieces, Kiersten, Deidre (great niece Chloe), Ashli (Ben and soon to be born Baby Boy Shiftan)
Arrangements under the direction of Scheer Memorial Chapel, Oroville, CA.


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