Wallace Robert “Bob” Harbottle

Date of Birth

December 5, 1927

Date of Death

May 2, 2016

Wallace Robert “Bob” Harbottle was born on December 5th, 1927 in Long Beach, California. Bob was the son of Robert and Edna Harbottle (Long). He passed away on May 2nd, 2016 peacefully and surrounded by family.

Bob was a World War II veteran in the US Navy as Fireman First Class where he worked as an electrician and mine sweeper. He received an honorable discharge after serving in the Navy for 2 years. He later took many paths and worked as a car mechanic, airplane mechanic, realtor, and lastly owned BH Auto, a car sales shop in Goleta. Bob married the love of his life Eleanore in 1968 and in 1971 moved from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara where he lived the rest of his life.

He was known by his family and friends as a funny and positive person who filled his days solving problems and finding the good in every situation and person. Bob couldn’t go a day without thanking people and expressing his gratitude to family and friends and seemed to truly grasp what was important in life by focusing unlimited time and energy on his loved ones. He was always completely present when spending time with people and made a point of removing distractions because “nothing is more important than talking to the person you are with.” He had a great sense of priorities valuing his relationships and humanity above all and modeled this for his family. Bob had a very broad knowledge base and was the “go to” person in the family for decades whenever they needed help or advice about life’s challenges.

He is survived by wife Eleanore Harbottle, son Steve Harbottle (Diane) and daughter Janette Harbottle Hope (Bradley). He is also survived by his sisters Millicent Gann and Maria Alexander and brother Julius Schnell and grandchildren Amber, Kelly, Michelle, David and Sophia. He was pre-deceased by his parents, sisters Marjorie, Patia, Dori and brother Roy.

Bob’s family would like to thank staff and friends and nurse Rose at Wood Glen Hall, the staff and doctors at Cottage Hospital, Dr. Zylstra, Dr. Blum, Cardiologists- Dr. Vogel, Dr. McFadden, Dr. Bonametti, and Dr. Watson and the now deceased surgeon Dr. David Davidson whose immediate and highly skilled action in the face of what would have been an unavoidably fatal event, gave Bob and his family over 30 healthy and happy years together. They would like to thank the staff at the Californian and Casa Rhoda and Assisted Home Health and Hospice for the care, attention and support they provided to Bob and his family during the last month of his life.

He will be greatly missed.

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