Robert was born in 1904 in Abingdon, Illinois and moved with parents in 1906 to Monrovia, California where he attended local schools.
He obtained degrees in Entomology; B.S. 1934, M.S. 1952. From 1939 to 1943 he was employed by the USDA in the Migratory Labor Program as a grant supervisor and Camp Manager.
In 1943 Robert began a career, as an entomologist with the state of California, Department of Food and Agriculture and in 1947 was one of the first three in the new Pest Detection Program. He was best known as an avid collector and curator of insects. Thousands of his specimens are in the California State collection in Sacramento, at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco and other museums. .
In 1941 he married Anna. Later, they moved with their three children to riverfront property in LaGrange, CA where they lived for 43 years. They later made their home in Mt. Angel, Oregon. They were charter members of the Oakdale Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
After retirement in kept several hives of honeybees and helped other beekeepers. Abe belonged to many professional and charitable organizations, including Entomological Society of America, the Pacific Coast Entomological Society, Nature Conservancy to name a few. He enjoyed the outdoors for work and recreation. He also an outdoorsman and in his final years he climbed Mt. Angel 49 times before breaking his hip at age 98.
He is survived by daughter Karen of Grass Valley, California, sons Perry of Albany, Oregon, Peter of Silverton, Oregon, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Many families will be assisted through the contributions Robert made to Heifer International Foundation.
