Robert Michael Giambruno

1937 - 2025

Robert Michael Giambruno
09/11/1937 - 08/25/2025
With love and peace in our hearts...our beloved, Robert Michael Giambruno left us on August 25, 2025 after a courageous and fierce battle with Alzheimer's. Bob was born on September 11, 1937 to Ray and Thelma (Fulton) Giambruno of Oakland, CA. His childhood was filled with baseball, bakeries, and happy family picnics and gatherings with grandparents, sister Nancy (Pruter), and numerous uncles, aunts and cousins.
Music was the quintessential thread that wove through Bob's life. Starting on a trombone as a young boy, he continued with the Weldonians, a well-known community marching band, which inspired him to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Music in Tuba Studies in San Francisco State University. As a senior in Castlemont high school, he also joined the National Guard Band 551where he played for 9 years. One highlight was marching in President Eisenhower's Inauguration in Washington D.C. and the other... being called "on alert" for the Cuban Missile Crisis with tuba in hand?!!
In 1963, Bob married a fellow SFSU graduate, Mae Susan Ferroggiarro. They eventually moved to San Mateo and raised 4 amazing children, David, Jeanine, Joelle, and John. Bob found himself busy teaching music in Roosevelt Jr. High and raising the young family. There were plenty of extracurriculars like swim teams, soccer teams, baseball teams, with Bob coaching and volunteering at every chance. However, his most fulfilling work during this time was being the principal of the Summer Music Workshop for SFUSD. Working alongside the SF Symphony musicians, the program brought quality music education to so many city youths. He was a beloved music teacher, and his legacy lives on in the lives of hundreds of students he impacted.
Sadly with the cutting back of school funding in the 80s, Bob left music after 24 years and switched over to mathematics. He brought the same passion and commitment to math that he had for music and remained a math teacher for another 29 years! His math students had great successes evidenced by the numerous placements and wins in the annual MathCounts competitions.
In the 1990s, Bob met Laurette Lau and they were married in 1993. Robert Lau Giambruno came a year later. Being a father late in life kept him busier than ever. He continued playing plenty of music, but this time, it was only on CDs! He happily took on coaching baseball, was an avid fan watching Zep (Robert) play soccer and beamed with pride when Robert became a working professional musician. Another source of pride were the arrivals of his beautiful grandchildren. In addition to being survived by his wife, Laurette, Bob is survived by his 5 children and their families: David Giambruno (Antonio Flores), Jeanine Woodell (Tom Woodell, Bryce and Erin), Joelle Robinson (Jim Robinson, Tony and Amy), John Giambruno (Jessica Told Giambruno and Helen Mae), and Robert Lau Giambruno.
Thankfully Bob did find his way back to his trombone and played happily with the Sewer Band (or as he would always love to clarify, "The Las Galinas Valley Sanitary District Non-Marching Band' for many years.) His last performance with them was in May 2024. Bob was a proud Italian...he took great pride in his polpette (meatballs) and spaghetti sauce. A master pie and cookie baker, his treats brought immense joy to others, especially his bridge buddies. To work off the calories, he ran in over 25 Bay to Breakers. The garden thrived under his care where his hand-built Japanese bridge and tori gate still stands. Bob's love of home team sports was infectious and made Laurette into a louder fan than himself. But it was his baseball cards from the Oakland Oaks (Pacific Coast League 1903-1955) that were his prized possession, the first thing we need to grab in case of any emergency!
Bob will always be remembered for his good humor, competitive spirit, and charm. He was a compassionate friend and devoted to his family. As devastating Alzheimer's can be in deconstructing one's sense of being... Bob still found new friendships to cherish. It was a wonderful life.
Donations can be made to Alzheimer's Association. A Celebration of Life will be forthcoming.