Robert Matthew DeBaun

1952 - 2024

Robert Matthew DeBaun
03/12/1952 - 06/29/2024
It's rare that the last day of a person's life is also one of the best days of a person's life. Bob spent June 29, 2024, surrounded by some of his best mates while celebrating his wife, Barb's, 70th birthday. The day was spectacular. Full of love, laughter, and lobster. Shortly after returning home, Bob's bright light was extinguished. It was sudden and unexpected. In the past six months, friends and family have held numerous gatherings to honor the life of this great man.
Bob was born in Brooklyn, NY on March 12, 1952. His parents, Robert and Brooks, sister Denise, and brothers Philip and Gerard, eventually settled in Wayne, NJ.
Bob earned his varsity letter in swimming all four years of high school at Seton Hall Prep. He won gold medals in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle in his Junior and Senior years. Bob was a High School All American on the Phillips Andover Academy 400-yard freestyle relay team. Despite his talent for swimming, he had a greater passion for basketball, skiing, and golf in his later years.
Bob moved to California and worked in the telecommunications field for most of his career. As fate would have it, he reconnected with Barb who he first met when they were both attending Pace University in Pleasantville, NY in the early 1970s. Bob and Barb married on July 23, 1994, at the Chimney Rock Winery in Napa, CA while surrounded by friends and family who many say, to this day, 'the best wedding ever'.
San Francisco became Bob's adopted hometown. He loved the people, the golf courses, the restaurants, and even the fog. Bob enjoyed entertaining friends, cooking burgers on the grill, creating musical play lists to fit the occasion, and beating his friends at poker. He played his poker buddies like a fiddle, sometimes betting without looking at his hand and winning with blind faith, a mischievous grin, and a classic Bob chuckle.
Bob had a wicked and often irreverent sense of humor. He was an incredibly clever prankster who relished the impact they had on his targets. He was brilliant and a master of trivia who would be the person you would want with you if you found yourself in the Cash Cab in NYC. Bob also had mad skills as a creative and comical cartoonist.
Bob loved dogs. His beloved golden retriever, Ginger, and terrier/poodle mix, Mati, were most definitely at the Rainbow Bridge when they got the word that he was on his way. If you would like to donate in Bob's memory, he would appreciate you considering Muttville.org, a senior dog rescue in San Francisco.
We cannot replace what was lost. We can only fill the space it left with light. Make a toast, share Bob stories, and continue to celebrate Bob's life that was well lived and well loved.