Robert Morris Danford

Bob was born in Oklahoma City on July 17, 1943 to Lorene and Morris Danford. He spent his first two years at his Grandmother and Daddy Frank’s home with his Mother, while his dad served in WWII. After his father returned from the war, where Morris was one of the first soldiers to march into a liberated Berlin, Bob and his parents moved to Tulsa where Morris was employed with the Army Corps of Engineers.

Bob was an avid reader as a child and became president of the chess club. He played violin in the Tulsa Central High School Orchestra and Oklahoma University (Boomer Sooner!) Orchestra. Bob’s love for music carried into fun moments while at university, where he was seen playing his pump organ from the back of a pickup truck being driven around his college town of Norman, Ok. At university, Bob majored in Astronomy, which grew his lifelong curiosity in the research and study of galaxies and stars (and at the 1993 Santa Barbara Solstice Parade, he walked down State Street as a Comet). While at OU, Bob also discovered his passion for Computer Science and was hired by a company in Palo Alto, starting his long and productive career.

Moving to Santa Barbara, CA, Robert Danford became the co-founder of the telemetry software company, Acroamatics, Inc. with his partners Pat and Jeff Johnson. Jeff described Bob as being one of the world’s foremost authorities in Pulse Code Modulation Telemetry. A few favorite professional experiences included working with NASA, watching the Space Shuttle launches, as well as working in Kauai with his co-workers and associates there.

As an avid backpacker, he found joy hiking into the Sierra backcountry and Wyoming Wind River Mountains with his dear friend, Jerry Stauffer.

In 1975, Bob married Joan Laubenstein, and their daughter, Allison Marie, was born two years later. Bob’s second child, Zev Smith-Danford, was born in 1990.

And on June 29, 1996, Bob married Ellen Hamilton Byrne in Santa Barbara. Ellen and Bob were blessed and grateful for their opportunities to travel to Australia, New Zealand, Europe and many times to the island of Kauai.

Holding his baby grandson, Evan Matthew Gaylord, and beautiful granddaughter, Violet Marie Gaylord, were the best of memories with his daughter Allison in Woodinville, Washington, as well seeing, Zev, Bob’s younger child’s graduation from Humboldt State University and accomplishments after graduation.

Bob’s brother, Steven Danford and wife, Jo Etta Agee complete and continue to inspire our family.

A Memorial Service is being planned for August..

And in lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions to
Central Office, 14 W Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101