Robert Strand

Robert Steen Strand, who lived his life immersed in ideas, died April 25th. He was 83 and lived in Oakland. Through words-written, read, spoken-Bob worked to puzzle out the world's meaning. Plunking away on an old Underwood, recording notes with a thick, black, soft-leaded pencil and a reporter's pad, delving into a pile of newspapers, journals or books, or debating gently: These were the activities that drew his attention. Born in Milwaukee of Norwegian stock, Bob grew up in West Allis, Wisconsin. Before graduating from high school in 1945, he won a William Randolph Hearst National History Award for writing and competed successfully as a debater statewide. After attending the University of Wisconsin at Madison for a year, Bob joined the Army and the 82nd Airborne. Afterward, he studied history and philosophy at Lawrence University. Next, Bob traveled to Europe where he leapt into journalism and enjoyed his twenties. In Paris, after improving his French at the Sorbonne, he worked for the Paris Herald Tribune. Then he moved to Berlin where he worked for the Armed Forces Network. In 1957, Bob moved to San Francisco where he was hired by United Press International who would employ him as reporter and editor for the rest of his career. While Bob wrote about diverse topics with UPI, he became especially prolific about the hippie movement. His observations about this subject were distributed over the wire to readers nationwide for decades as this movement's identity impacted the Bay Area and the nation. In 1963, Bob married Ruth Lapovsky, with whom he raised two sons, Peter and Steen. In 1969, the family moved across the bay to El Cerrito while he commuted to work. Viewing the sunset pensively from his living room or patio was a daily ritual for Bob, sometimes while puffing a pipe or cigar. He enjoyed experiencing the mountains similarly, on skis or with a backpack. In 1985, Bob met his second wife, Amity Pierce Buxton, whom he married in 1991 and with whom he lived his final years. He supported her efforts to improve the world, and his reading, thinking and discussing turned increasingly spiritual. His involvement with the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley heightened. Also, Bob and Amity traveled: to India, China and Southeast Asia, to Mexico, Guatemala and Peru, to Israel, Germany, Norway and Greece. For the last five years, Bob resided at Piedmont Gardens in Oakland where he enjoyed interacting with a community rich in experiences. Bob is survived by his wife, Amity; his two sons, Steen of Manhattan Beach and Peter of Bozeman, MT; his grandchildren, Will, Maren and Josie of Bozeman; and his stepchildren, Pierce and Felicity Buxton. Bob marked the world with his probing, pondering, opinionated mind, his laid back style, and in his last years, a warm, genuine smile. Contributions may be made to The Carter Center, to whom he sent his last donation. There will be a simple memorial service on Saturday, May 21, at Piedmont Gardens from 2 to 4 pm.