Robert H. Bolduc, businessman, volunteer, husband, father and friend, died on February 10, after a 22-year battle with cancer. He was 69. Bob was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and raised in Chicopee, Massachusetts by a large extended French-Canadian family. At 18, he moved out to Los Angeles and attended El Camino College before transferring to UCLA, where he graduated with a degree in accounting. While in college he worked full-time as an accountant, supporting himself and his mother. After college, Bob worked at IBM as a salesman in the downtown garment district. During this time he met his future wife, Linda Vos (whose parents lived in Rustic Canyon). They married on November 6, 1965 at St. Matthew’s Church in Pacific Palisades and later moved north to Saratoga. They had three children during these years. When a job transfer brought the Bolduc family back to Los Angeles in 1972, they settled in a home above St. Matthew’s. Bob worked for ITEL during this time, but in 1982 founded his own management consulting firm, Bold Associates, with clients such as MCI and Honeywell. In 1984, Bob and Linda built a house on Earlham. He was an active community member, particularly at the YMCA. He could be seen cheering on the swim team, at T-ball, softball and soccer games, and track meets. Bob ran in the Fourth of July 10K for many years and always enjoyed the parade. In later years he was often seen walking around town, waiting for the bus or eating at Mort’s. All who encountered him found him friendly, funny and helpful. Bob loved to swim, ski, bodysurf, run and play basketball, tennis and volleyball. He was also an avid backpacker and loved taking his family on weeklong treks in the High Sierras. In addition, he loved music, especially jazz, and singing. He had a lovely voice. In restaurants, when ‘Happy Birthday’ was sung, he was always the loudest, strongest voice to be heard. He loved to sing with and to his children when they were young, and many hours on road trips were spent singing. Bob lived life with gusto. When told in 1986 he had four months to live due to brain cancer, he threw himself into survival. He used conventional medicine (including an experimental treatment that involved having radioactive pellets inserted into his brain for five days) and alternative medicine, going on a complete macrobiotic diet for many months and using prayer and visualization. Something worked, because he remained cancer-free for many years. After his diagnosis and surgeries, Bob sold his business and became passionate about volunteer work. He couldn’t drive but he took the bus to all of his activities, staying self-sufficient for many years. He was a longtime member of the Wellness Community, volunteered at the Palisades library (where he read books to children in the afternoon) and was active with the Epileptic Society, Camp Ronald McDonald, and Good Samaritan Hospital. In 1998, Bob and Linda moved to Santa Monica. He was a devoted husband for 43 years and he would be the first to admit that he and his wife fought cancer together. Without her, Bob would not have been able to sustain the independent life he did for so many years. In addition to his wife, Linda, he is survived by his daughters, Michelle Gleeson (husband Rufus) of Los Angeles and Nicole Schmidt (husband Mathew) of Davenport, Iowa; his son, Brad Bolduc (wife Mona) of Monrovia; and six grandchildren: Ashley, Christian, Henri, Nathan, Dora and Louis. A memorial service will be held on February 17 at 12 noon at the Subud House, 5828 Wilshire. Contacts: (310) 430-0703 or (323) 702-0070. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wellness Community of West L.A., 2716 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405. Telephone: (310) 314-2557.
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