Bob Hauser Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Robert (Bob) Hauser was born February 3, 1938 to Barbara E. and Edward W. Hauser in Hollywood, California. He passed away peacefully at home at the age of 81 on October 27, 2019. He spent much of his youth in Southern California where he enjoyed summers on his grandparents’ large farm. They raised avocados, watermelons and many other crops that fed a large portion of the local community. His father built most of the large hotels in Las Vegas where Bob spent his teen years, graduating from Las Vegas High School in 1956. He excelled on the golf team in high school and college, enjoying the game for many years as an amateur, before a shoulder injury took him off the greens. Bob attended UC Berkley, and held Master’s degrees in Mathematics, Eastern Studies and Foreign Language, the latter two earned during his service years in Japan. His considerable abilities with foreign language were a great asset to our country. He was a man of natural intelligence and sharp memory, as well as being well-educated. He loved spending time hunting and fishing with his dad and rock hunting with his mother. He later enjoyed hunting and fishing with his son, Terry, and grandson, Christian. Bob had a love of gems and rocks, and became a certified gemologist, also enjoying lapidary work with his father. He had a lot of lapidary equipment and produced beautiful jewelry, artwork and accessories with his skill and passion for the work. In a word, Bob was a man of many talents and excelled at most everything he did. He was also a man of great patience who was able to see every task through to perfection. He had an honorable career with the Army that began as the 72nd man to be sent into Viet Nam (Rangers)and seguéed into diverse government service, including intelligence, national and Presidential security. His career took him around the world for many years with his late wife, Carolee, who also served our country for many years. His stories, those that were not classified and were therefore sharable, fascinated friends and family alike. His last assignment was teaching in the Military Intelligence School at Ft. Huachuca, AZ. Bob was also an explosive ordinance device specialist and had command of multiple “bomb squads.” It was in this capacity that he and part of his EOD unit were called to the Hotel Utah in Salt Lake City. Among many other occupants, David O. McKay, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made his home in an apartment in the hotel in his later years. When Bob had finished identifying the device that he and his unit were called in to deactivate, and making sure that it was no longer a threat, he was about to leave when a man approached him in a business suit and asked him to stay for a moment because there was someone who wanted to speak with him. Bob said that when President McKay stepped off the elevator that he seemed to glide across the lobby toward him as if his feet never touched the ground. His thick, beautiful white hair was, by Bob’s report, nearly gleaming. And his white suit that was his signature wardrobe made him look nearly like an angel. When Bob and President McKay were introduced, he said he felt very humbled as President McKay put his arm on his shoulder and said, “You do good work, son.” He then conversed with him several minutes, asking questions about the validity of the explosive threat and other details. Bob noted that he spoke with him, cigarettes plainly stored in his left breast pocket, but that he never felt anything but pure love from President McKay, without judgement, though Bob was keenly aware of the fact that the Church taught against the use of tobacco. Whenever he told that story, it was evident how much the experience meant to him. He had two children, Terry and Melody, by his first wife, Sharon. They divorced and he later met and married Carolee Gibson. He first saw her when he and an Army colleague were sitting in a cafe having lunch and she walked down the sidewalk with some of her girlfriends from LDS Business College. Her beautiful thick long blond hair made her a stand out. He remarked to his friend about her beauty, and it was not long thereafter that they were introduced on a blind date. He married her and they enjoyed thirty-five years together before Carol succumbed to breast cancer in 2000. His father passed away a year to the day later. Carol was a life long member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and her parents and Stake President initially tried to discourage her from marrying Bob because he was not of her faith. She cheerfully expressed her assurance that he would one day join the Church “and do great things.” He said neither of them thought it would take him over thirty-five years to do so, but during Carol’s cancer treatment, one of her nurses gave Bob a copy of the Book of Mormon and he began reading it. A year after she passed away, he was baptized at the age of 62, at the time, being the oldest convert in his ward in Central, AZ. In addition, he had acquired the nickname “Smokin’Bob” lovingly bestowed on him by his many friends in the community. He often shared with friends and family that it was SRO (standing room only) at the Pima Stake Center when he was, because no one believed he would quit smoking literally overnight as a result of his conversion. This is only one of the many evidences of Bob’s sterling integrity, sincere commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his deep love for his Savior. When he gained the confirmation that the Book of Mormon was true and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was true, he was an unwavering member and example of discipleship. Although his health in the last few years of his life prevented him from attending church meetings, serving others and serving in the temple as much as he would have liked, his faith was strong and his adherance to what he knew the Lord expected of him was something he continually strived to demonstrate and improve. After Carol’s passing Bob observed Elizabeth at church as she was caring for one of his dear friends, an elderly man who had been somewhat of a mentor to him in his early days as a new member of the Church. When the man passed away, Bob called Elizabeth (after doing some “homework” with mutual friends to find out her age, etc.)and asked her on a blind date to attend a musical at the local college with him. After she said “yes,” she did a little homework of her own, speaking to a best friend who knew him well, to find out what she had just gotten herself into. She received assurance of what an upstanding man Bob was, and soon came to see that for herself. Some friends from their small community saw them together at the theater and before long, word was out (true or not) that they were an item. It wasn’t long before they were, and they married on July 30, 2005. Their marriage was solemnized in the Mesa Temple on May 1, 2007. Bob and Liz enjoyed fourteen and a half years of marriage filled with adventures. Their love and dedication to each other was born of living long enough to appreciate that loyalty, overcoming challenges together, serving one another, and commitment to covenants are the ingredients for lasting love. Bob was a faithful, true and loving husband and will be deeply missed by his wife. He is survived by son, Terry, and daughter-in-law, Donna, who was more like a daughter to him. He cherished her. He enjoyed many hours togther with Terry and his grandson, Christian, hunting and fishing. He was especially thrilled when they attended his surprise 80th birthday party. He is also survived by daughter, Kim and grandson, Zachary. Kim was a special delight to her parents, as she was chosen by them to come to their family. After countless heartbreaking miscarriages, they were able to adopt Kim, and were thrilled when the day came that they could bring her home. Bob’s daughter, Melody, never forgot to send her dad the most beautiful birthday, Father’s Day, and Christmas cards, all of which he kept. Her home has been in Mississipi for many years, and they weren’t able to visit often over the years. His granddaughter, Marina, gave him a great grandson, Beau, and she is expecting his second great grandson. He loved his family and was beloved as a father and grandfather. He had a second family in Liz’s children and grandchildren who loved him dearly and will miss “Papa Bob” deeply. He considered it a special gift to him in his life to be able to live near Liz’s youngest daughter and son-in-law (Danni and Josh Jackson), and actually live with them for 18 months while they looked for and then built their own home, for the opportunity it gave him to enjoy family that lived closer and the hands-on joy of watching grandchildren grow daily. He was an active participant in every school and Church program or activity that he could possibly attend. He loved watching their faces and seeing them try to remove their own teeth as they squealed in delight while “Papa” slid his dentures in and out of his mouth. Bob had a boundless sense of humor and he didn’t let an ounce of it go to waste. Elizabeth always told Bob that on his headstone, should he finish his work here first, she was going to have inscribed: ~HE MADE ME LAUGH~ Funeral Services will be held Saturday, November 9th at 11:00 am at the Eagle Mountain 6th Ward, 4142 North Lake Mountain Road, Eagle Mountain, Utah, where a Viewing will be held prior to services from 9:00 to 10:30 am. Interment in Pony Express Memorial Cemetery, Eagle Mountain, Utah. Funeral Directors: Utah Valley Mortuary.

Bob Hauser

February 3, 1938 - October 27, 2019

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