A celebration of life will be Oct. 29 in remembrance of Robert Suhr, who died last week at his home in Scotts Valley. He was 91.
Suhr was known in his later years as a government watchdog, both nationally and locally. In the last 10 years of his life, he warned of rising pensions and lush retirement plans for county employees by researching county records and writing letters and op-eds for local newspapers.
A stamp collector in his youth, Suhr became interested in the history he found on the stamps, Juliette Suhr, his wife of 67 years, said.
“He became very interested in American history. He wanted to be involved in giving back to the community,” she said. “He did that by being a watchdog.”
Suhr was born in Norwalk, Ohio, to Mr. and Mrs. Bowen Suhr. He had one brother, John B. Suhr. After completing college in Ohio, he joined the Navy and trained at Moffett Field in the Santa Clara Valley, where he met his future wife.
The couple moved to Saratoga, and he started an insurance business in Santa Clara. An avid Republican, Suhr co-chaired the presidential campaign for Richard Nixon in 1968.
The Suhrs had four children and in 1973 moved to the mountains above Scotts Valley, where Juliette could keep horses.
They participated in 50-mile and 100-mile horse rides in South Africa, Mongolia, France, Peru and Australia. In 1996, Robert Suhr was named to the American Endurance Ride Conference Hall of Fame.
“I never knew a better man in my life,” Juliette Suhr said. “He was a kind and gentle man, and he put himself second. He never put himself first.”
Robert Suhr is survived by his children, Barbara Suhr White and Robert B. Suhr Jr., both of Scotts Valley, and John B. Suhr of Monte Sereno; six grandchildren; and four nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Nancy Barker Suhr.
A celebration of his life will begin at 4 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Scotts Valley Community Center. Relatives and friends are invited to speak about Suhr during the celebration, which will be followed by light refreshments.
Memorial contributions may be sent to City of Norwalk, attn: Suhr Family Park, 38 Whittlesey Ave., Norwalk, Ohio, 44857.
