The world lost a martini aficionado with the passing of Robert (Bob) Schultz on January 30,2022. Bob was born in Chicago in 1929 and grew up in the Chicago area. He graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. After graduation, he moved to the West Coast and never looked back.
Bob regaled his family with stories of doing crazy stuff, like trying to water ski from Long Beach to Catalina Island (26 miles across the sea…). He and his skiing buddies would sleep in and under their cars in the parking lot of Mammoth Mountain to save money and get a jumpstart on the new skiing day when it dawned.
Bob also liked to tell the story of taking a curve too fast and rolling his red convertible. He was known to have blown out an eardrum and cracked ribs while water-skiing, dragging his elbow when he cut to jump back over the boat’s wake.
After raising his family and spending his career at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, California, Bob and his wife, Sharon, packed up the family and moved to South Lake Tahoe. You see, the Schultz family loved the beautiful Lake Tahoe area, having made ski trips in the winter and boat camping in Emerald Bay every summer.
Bob became an avid snow skier who was always seeking the perfect powder day. He was known to arrive at the mountain without his pass or even his ski boots in his excitement to be the first down his favorite powder run, nicknamed ‘Bob’s Knob’. Bob and his skiing cronies, famed members of the East Peak Social Club, were caught by the Heavenly ski patrol skiing out of bounds. Mountain lore claims this happened more than once.
As kids, the Indianapolis 500 was a big deal. Bob made sure the family watched it, after picking favorite drivers to cheer for. This love of racing turned into a family stock car racing team, with son, Boomer, at the wheel. The ups and downs of the Schultz Racing Team were exhilarating. This is a legacy Bob left, as children and grandchildren alike are racing fans.
Bob’s four children, nine grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and adopted friends are thankful to Grandpa Honey for the wonderful legacy he left. It includes camping, a love for Yosemite and the mountains, having a Lake Tahoe home, skiing, racing, 3-minute corn on the cob, and having the perfect martini after rushing out in the boat to toast the alpenglow on the peaks. We also can’t forget righty-tighty, lefty-loosy and pi-squared is approximately 10.
Thanks for everything, Grandpa Honey! We will all miss you. Cheers!
The family asks that those who wish to express support for the life of Bob Schultz donate to Alzheimer’s research. For more information, please call Boomer Schultz at 1-775-690-8902.