Mr Robert Lee Redden's Obituary
Robert Lee (Bob) Redden (92) died at home in Hesperia, CA on Friday, October 30, 2015. Bob was born in Fresno, California on February 13, 1923. He grew up in San Luis Obispo, CA, where he attended local schools and completed a year of college before enlisting in the US Army Air Force in October 1942 for the duration of WWII. Bob served as a pilot and flying instructor, remaining active in the Air Force Reserve throughout his working life, retiring with the rank of Major.
After the war, Bob graduated from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) with a BS in Electrical Engineering. After licensing as a civil engineer, he followed his father and uncle into the California Division of Highways, designing, maintaining and overseeing the building of numerous road and freeway projects. After a brief diversion in 1956-8 to attend the Westinghouse Atomic Energy School in Pennsylvania and subsequently build nuclear submarines for Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, he served in the Division of Highways (later Cal-Trans) until retirement. He stepped down as Deputy District Engineer in 1986, but frequently was called out of retirement to adjudicate for state tribunals concerning highway construction until the age of 85.
Sport played a large part in Bob’s life: first, tennis, which he played competitively at state level, and then golf, a passion which he shared with his wife, Libby. He joined Arrowhead Country Club in 1967, where he and Libby played regularly. He served ACC as Handicap Chairman for many years, and as President in 1980.
Bob is survived by his wife, Elizabeth (Libby) Redden née Holland of Hesperia; daughters, JoAnne Rutter (John) of Huntingdon, England and Patricia McClure (Robert) of San Diego, CA; son, Robert J Redden (Patty) of Oak Hills, CA; grandchildren, Rebecca Anderson of Thirroul, Australia; Carolyn Chang of San Jose; Jonathon Redden of Irvine; Nicholas Rutter of London, England; and Linnea Redden of Oak Hills; great-granddaughter, Jerusha Claus of Thirroul, Australia; sister Nancie Murakami of Henrico, VA; and three nephews, seven nieces and many grand-nephews and nieces. He was universally respected and loved, and will be much missed.
Memorial donations may be made to a cause he actively supported, the SCGA Junior Golf Association, http://bob4golf.scgajunior.org. or at SCGA Junior, 3740 Cahuenga Blvd. Studio City 91604.
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