Robert Lee Bethenod
Obituary
Robert "Bob" Lee Bethenod, of Hillsborough, NC, died unexpectedly on Monday, August 31, 2020, at the age of 82.
Bob was born in Fort Madison, IA on March 24, 1938, to Vern and Leah Bethenod (né Berstler). He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master's Degree in Thermodynamics. After college, he spent 2 years as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army, and went on to become a successful executive with IBM, with a tenure of more than 30 years.
In 1961 he married Bonnie Freeman, of Watsonville, CA and they welcomed two sons, Garett Andrew and Terence Miles. After Bonnie's tragic passing in 1986, Bob met and married his second wife, Esola Lance, while living abroad in France.
Throughout his career, Bob was given the opportunity to in live many places, residing in California, Washington, Georgia, France and North Carolina, where he retired in 2004.
In his retirement, Bob was especially devoted to rescuing and caring for cats, adopting and doting on many of his own. He was an avid reader, enjoyed a good bottle of wine, and had a sweet tooth that was unmatched. He was known in his family for his generosity, kindness and sense of humor, and was a beloved brother-in-law to Bonnie's sisters, PJ, Pamela and Mitzi, as well as father-in-law to his sons' wives, Helen and Jennifer.
Bob is survived by his wife, Esola; his children, Garett and Miles; and his grandson, Gabriel Aiden. He is predeceased by his sister, Norma Bethenod and his brother, Richard Bethenod.
Bob will be cremated, with services to be determined due to Covid-19 safety concerns.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mr. Bethenod's name to Sparkle Cat Rescue at https://www.sparklecatrescue.org.
Condolences for the family can be left at Forevermissed.com/robert-bethenod
Published in The Pajaronian · September 10, 2020