Robert John Sandau

1945 - 2025

Robert (Bob) John Sandau passed away unexpectedly yet peacefully on August 2, 2025. He was born in Richmond, CA on June 24, 1945. He was a man of many talents and hobbies including photography, stained glass, and woodworking; all of which he generously shared with those he loved. He was always up for a game of Cribbage and being a lover of the outdoors he raised his family to enjoy camping together; a tradition they have all continued with their own families. He was also a lover of hot rod cars and music and even played rhythm guitar in a band (The Sensashuns) with his high school buddies that he kept in touch with up until the end of his life. Finally, he was an avid traveler making trips across the country, including Canada, and many trips to Disney and Minnesota. When once asked about his travels he said, "I saw places I never thought I would get to see.", including fulfilling his dream of visiting Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. As much as he loved the East Bay he wanted to raise his family in a smaller, quieter community, and moved his wife and three young children to Napa in 1971, but continued to serve the city of Richmond as a fire fighter, for over 33 years up until he retired as a Captain in 2002. He was not a man who could sit still for very long and if he wasn't fishing in the Bay he was always tinkering with or creating something, so in the 1980s he went back to school and earned his electrical contractor license with which he did electrical jobs all around Napa and the Bay Area as Sandau Electric on his days off from the fire department. Family, including his extended step family with his second wife, friends, and his fellow firefighters, meant everything to him, and he lived to serve and help out whenever he was needed. He spent his later years in Rio Vista, CA.

He is survived by daughter Tara (Joe) Heying, his grandchildren Cassie Falacco, Anthony (Emily) Sandau, Brittany (Drew L.) Sandau, Elizabeth Heying, Jacob Heying, and great grandchildren Paisley and Mason Sandau. He is also survived by his sister Gwen Morris, nephew Jim (Ellen) Morris, and cousin Tom Sandau.

He is preceded in death by his parents Hattie and Harold Sandau, wife Donna (Todero) Sandau, two of his children Tony (Kerri) Sandau and Tina (Ross) Mini, and brother-in-law Don Morris. He is also preceded in death by his wife Diana Aiello Sandau.

A Celebration of Life open house will be held on October 19, 2025 at the Hotel Mac in Point Richmond from 2-5pm. We encourage family, friends, neighbors, and fellow firefighters to stop in, share a story, and maybe even play a round of Cribbage. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in Bob's honor to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (firehero.org). We will also be supporting the Richmond Youth Academy at the Celebration of Life. Robert (Bob) John Sandau