Robert Donald Claybrook

Robert Donald Claybrook of Cathedral City, CA passed away Monday, May 5, 2025. He was born on November 17, 1947, in Inglewood, CA to Billy Eldon Claybrook and Marilyn (Donald) Claybrook Galloway McCarthy. Bob was a 1966 graduate of Reno high school and attended University of Nevada Reno. He married Marsha Lee Hemmingsen on December 27, 1987, in Palm Desert, CA and proceeded to share a life of love, adventures, and travel.
While living in Reno, Bob volunteered with the local fire dept to fight forest fires and was a member of the Washoe Co Jeep Rescue Squadron. When he moved back to California, he brought the hydro mulching process to the Coachella Valley and worked at that for several years. Bob was part of the team that started the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, where he conducted a study of desert tortoises and helped raise a bighorn lamb that was abandoned by its mother. Later he taught climbing, repelling, and rescue techniques to the initial EMT class at College of the Desert, was a Riverside County firefighter, and a 15-year member of the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit.
Bob's hobbies included hiking, camping, exploring caves & old mines, landscaping and model trains. He was a supporter of several railroad museums including those in Perris & Sacramento, CA, Albuquerque, NM, and Ely & the State Museum, NV. After a 30-year career as an independent finish carpenter focusing on moldings, windows, and doors, Bob retired in 2006.
Bob is survived by his wife, Marsha, siblings R. Scott Galloway and Heidi Galloway, nephew Logan Urban, cousins Marilyn (Brian) Sutton & Gary (Chris) Donald, and numerous Donald & Claybrook cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, his grandparents, his stepfather Ronald Galloway, his stepmother Jonora Claybrook, his brother James Claybrook and sister Heather (Galloway) Urban and many aunts & uncles.
Cremation rites were entrusted to Wiefels Cremation & Funeral Services of Palm Spring, CA.