An open house to honor the life of longtime San Lorenzo Valley resident Robert M. Brumbaugh will be in April in Ben Lomond.
Mr. Brumbaugh, 81, died March 2 at Pacific Coast Manor. He was 81.
Mr. Brumbaugh was born in Chambersburg, Pa. In 1944, he and his mother moved to San Fernando Valley. He attended UCLA and graduated in 1956. During this time, he served three years in the Army, studying Russian at the Army Language School in Monterey, and was later stationed in Alaska.
Mr. Brumbaugh worked for Lockheed on the Polaris Missile program at the test base in Bonny Doon. At its completion, he transferred to Sunnyvale, where he worked on several programs. He was on the Glomar Explorer that went out to pick up manganese nodules from the ocean floor. His last program was the Hubble Space Telescope, which he saw launched in Florida.
He and his wife, Sallee, were presidents of the first San Lorenzo Valley Elementary Home and School Club and served on the junior high home and school club. He helped with many projects to improve the school facilities.
Mr. Brumbaugh loved sports and attended hundreds of his children’s and granddaughters’ games. He was a member of the SLV Booster Club and was its second president.
After retiring from Lockheed, he returned to his true love: rocks, minerals and geology. He taught seminars at Cabrillo College and gave mineral and gem talks to many elementary-school classes. He was an active member of the Santa Cruz Mineral and Gem Society.
Mr. Brumbaugh loved to travel and covered much ground in his truck and fifth wheel. He took many trips with his family, friends Marty and Jack Larkin and Australian friends Denny and Terry Waggstaffe.
Mr. Brumbaugh is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sallee Brumbaugh; sons, Craig Brumbaugh, and his wife, Rose, of Scotts Valley, Kurt Brumbaugh, and his wife, Lynn, of Boulder Creek and Matt Brumbaugh, and his wife, Cricket, of Ben Lomond; daughter, Sallee Ann Brumbaugh of Mountain View; and seven granddaughters.
An open house in his memory will be from 4 to 7 p.m. April 22 at Matt and Cricket Brumbaugh’s home, 200 Holiday Lane, in Ben Lomond. Friends are invited. Arrangements will be handled by Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel.
The family prefers contributions to the SLV Athletic Booster’s Club, attn: Brumbaugh Fund, P.O. Box 616, Felton, CA 95018.
