Obituary of Robert Finnell Lockbaum

Robert Finnell Lockbaum died peacefully on Sunday August 8, 2021 surrounded by his family.  Bob, as he was known, was born July 22, 1927 in Crescent Springs Kentucky to Robert H. Lockbaum and Alice Virginia Lockbaum.  As a young boy, he and his family moved to Southern California where he grew up and graduated from Fremont High School early in order to enlist in the service.

 

He was sworn into the United States Navy on January 26, 1945 and served as a Naval Air Aviation Radioman (AC) Third Class.  He was discharged on July 27, 1946 and remained in the Naval Reserve until 1954.  He was discharged from active and reserve duty with honors.

 

He married Frances Lee Farrar on December 27, 1948.  Bob and Frances met in high school.  Upon their marriage, they moved to Logan, Utah where Bob attended Utah State.  He graduated from Utah State with a degree in Range Management.

 

During the summers while attending college, Bob worked for the US Forest Service fighting forest fires in the western United States as a member of a Hot Shot crew.  He told stories of fighting fires and remembered when a back fire would meet the main fire. "When the two fires would meet, the sound was so loud, it would bring you to your knees!"  During fire season he also recalled digging a hole in the ground where the fire had been in order to sleep on the warm ground. "You didn't dare move because you would get so cold. You just stayed in one spot!"

 

After graduation, he and Frances returned to Southern CA and he went to work at Gladding McBean and then Newhall Land and Farming Company.  In 1966, they moved to Chico where Bob managed the Newhall Ranch located on Wilson Landing Road.  Bob remained with Newhall until his retirement in 1989.

 

During his lifetime, Bob was affiliated with the Diamond Walnut Board of Directors and the Sunsweet Prune Association. He was also a Master Mason belonging to the Masonic Lodge in Fillmore, California.

 

In his retirement, Bob developed a passion for genealogy and researched family roots back to Germany as far as 1600. He enjoyed finding links to new relatives including a link to a distant cousin who turned out to be a woman who worked with him for a number of years!
 

Bob and Frances had two daughters; Pamela Susanne and Linda Lee.  He was very proud of his two daughters and granddaughters.  He would talk to anyone about their accomplishments.

 

Bob had a great sense of humor. He enjoyed bantering back and forth with his daughters and granddaughters who cut him no slack!   He always had a laugh, smile and twinkle in his eye!
 

He was described by friends as a "good man, rock solid, a man with graciousness and integrity, a great sense of humor and lots of fun".
 

Bob loved his wife Frances very much.  Bob and Frances were married for 73 years and were still as much in love as when they first met.  More importantly, Bob and Frances still liked and enjoyed each other's company. 
 

Bob is survived by his wife Frances, daughters Pamela Lockbaum, of Moss Beach CA, Linda (Don) Winn of Mountain Ranch CA, granddaughters Kate (Christian) Carleton of Rocklin CA, Laura (Kail) Withers of Buda, TX and great grandchildren Cooper Carleton and Quinn Carleton.
 

The family wishes to thank the staff of Prestige Assisted Living who assisted Bob over the past two years.  The work you do truly makes a difference.
 

Burial will be private with a Celebration of Life at a later date.