Robert L. 'Bob' Gates

  
l: Bob performing on horseback during a 4-H competition in Sonoita, 1950.
r: Bob sold his Grand Champion Hereford steer for $690, a good price in 1950.

b. June 9, 1935 Simi, California
d. July 23, 2014 Oro Valley, Arizona

 In 1948, when Bob was 13, the Gates family moved from California to Arizona, and settled in the San Rafael Valley south of Patagonia and Sonoita. His father John managed the Vaca Ranch. Following in his dad's footsteps, he spent most of his young life working cattle on horseback and was an active member of the local 4H Club.

 He attended Patagonia High School where he played on the track team; he spent his senior year at Tucson High and graduated from the University of Arizona where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He married Janet 'Jan' Marshall, the sister of his best friend, Bart Marshall, on September 12, 1959.

  He became a licensed contractor in Tucson, specializing in drywall and carpentry; he worked for his brother-in-law, Bart at La Quinta Homes; and he was a licensed commercial airline pilot. A few years later La Quinta Homes built John and Mazie's retirement home on 10 acres in Sonoita, as well as a few others close by. Bob also worked for the City of Las Vegas in building code enforcement for ten years.

 Bob and Jan were devout Christians and he was actively involved in building Christ Community Church in Tucson in 1976. In 2001, they spent a few country-style years in Oroville, Washington near the Canadian border. They returned to Tucson in 2006 and bought a home in Oro Valley to care for Jan's father, who died at age 100, four years later.

 After several years of battling various medical issues, Bob passed away at home in 2014 at the age of 79 surrounded by his loving wife and daughters: twins Tori Gates Koch, and Tessi Gates Repovsch, and two younger daughters Gretchen Gates and Amanda Gates Hadaway.

Written by Betty Barr with contributions from Janet Marshall Gates, Bob's wife

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SCS 9/18/24