Robert Albert

Robert “Bob” Victor Albert, 92 passed of natural causes in his Parker, CO home of 11 years. He moved to Parker from Vancouver, WA and quickly became a beloved member of his community. Bob was an active member and player of pinochle at the Parker Senior Center. He loved to journey with his friends up to Black Hawk and Cripple Creek. Bob was quick-witted and charismatic—he loved nothing more than to make jokes and quips with his grandsons. He loved gardening, playing crossword puzzles and spending time with family and friends.

Bob was exceedingly kind, thoughtful, and magnanimous. Bob never hesitated to strike up a friendly conversation with anyone he met, and his warm personality shone through in every interaction. It was not uncommon to find Bob chatting earnestly with complete strangers that he had won over with his genial charm, and he always answered the phone for his family and friends. He never forgot a birthday or anniversary.

Bob had a lifelong love of photography, and it showed in the stacks of albums, racks of slides, and drawers of photos of his life and adventures that he left behind.  Bob was always the one to interrupt a dinner or party to get everyone together for the “perfect” photo. Bob’s “perfect” photos now serve as beautiful memories of the wonderful times he shared with family and friends.

Bob was born on August 3rd, 1928, to Joseph M. Albert and Ruth Cummings. He grew up amongst the splendor of the Cascade Mountains and the Columbia River. He was raised in Portland, Oregon with two brothers, Joe and Frank, and his sister, Elaine. Bob was the baby of the family by five years and was loved by all. He cultivated his love for seafood at a young age—he and his family were avid beachgoers in the Pacific Northwest, where they found clam digging and crab catching aplenty. Like his father and brothers before him, Bob enjoyed collecting rare and vintage stamps and coins. True to his wit and intellect throughout his years, the Alberts always loved to get together to play Scrabble. Bob maintained this love for word games throughout his life, in which he was always a fierce competitor yet gracious in defeat and in victory.

Bob graduated from Benson High School in Portland, OR. Shortly after his 18th birthday, he joined the Army, stationed at Camp Kilmer. Although he learned Japanese there, he was instead sent to Occupied Germany where he spent most of his time in the service.  The Army employed his skills effectively, and Bob became a cryptographer for the Army Security Agency—now known as the NSA. He served for 2 years.

After his time in the service, Bob worked many odd jobs at first. He liked to talk about his humorous three-day stint working for Nabisco and his work at the local post office. But Bob would eventually follow his love for trains and became a Clerk with Burlington Northern Railroad, where he would spend 37 years before retiring.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife of 44 years, Barbara Eva Rodden, his brothers, Joseph and Francis Albert, his parents, Joseph M. Albert and Ruth Cummings, and his granddaughter, Ruthanne Livings.

Bob is survived by his daughters Billie Meyer (Vancouver, WA) and Barbara Albert (Parker, CO), his sister, Elaine Pistoresi (Lincoln City, OR), his stepchildren, Linda Kazitani, (Phil Campbell, AL) and Mike Wood, (Beaverton, OR), his grandchildren, Heidi Scott, Carrie Livings and Christina Meyer (Vancouver, WA), Joni Gall (Cheney, WA), Andrew Jacobsohn and Nicolas Jacobsohn (Denver, CO), his great grandchildren, Dylan Scott, Madisen Scott, Luke Scott, Sera Keeler, Jaqualyn Conright, Natalie Meyer, and Angelina Larson (Vancouver, WA), Connor Gall and Danica Gall (Cheney, WA) and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

“Celebration of Life Ceremonies” will be held in Parker, CO and Vancouver, WA, both at a later date. In the interim, please honor Bob with a donation to one of his favorite charities:  Krystal Brooke Pearce Memorial Foundation (Student Scholarships, specify Krystal Brooke Pearce Memorial when donating), The Payton Wright Foundation, Parker Senior Center, Aging Resources of Douglas County, St. Judes, The Smile Train