Robert Squeri

Robert "Bob" Squeri passed away peacefully at the Lake Havasu, Arizona, home he shared with his wife of more than 50 years, Charlotte, on November 20, 2023. Bob was born on September 5, 1939, to Jim and Kitty Squeri, and spent his early years in the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco. The family soon bought a small ranch in the Paradise Valley of Morgan Hill, where Bob spent his summers learning self-reliance and old world farming and foraging skills from his Italian immigrant grandparents. They eventually moved to Morgan Hill full time.

Bob graduated from Live Oak High School. His college plans were cut short when, along with his older brother Joe, they bought the Edes hardware store on the corner of Monterey Road and Second Street and opened Squeri Brothers Hardware. The store ultimately moved to Second and Depot streets. It was much more than a hardware store. Bob and Joe carried everything from large pumps for irrigation to live minnows for fishing. Many young people in town got their first fishing rod or BB gun from Squeri Brothers. The store was also a community gathering place and it was typical to find folks gathered around the coffee pot in the back of the store, eating doughnuts from Tracey's bakery next door, and discussing the events of the day. It was common that customers would come to the store seeking a repair part but without the ability to make the repair, and Bob or Joe would stop by their house to install the part for them.

This role of trusted advisor grew beyond hardware, though, and Bob became an informal counselor to those seeking all sorts of advice from business decisions to personal matters. Many people's problems were solved in the small back office of the hardware store. He had rare common sense and wisdom and was happy to share with those in need.

Bob loved his community. He was a member of the Gilroy Elks, the Morgan Hill Fish and Game Club, the Duck Club and other community organizations. He was always eager to help raise money for local causes, often by hosting Santa Maria barbecues with his crew of wonderful friends and true characters. Bob and Joe sold the store in the late 1970s and Bob and Charlotte moved to Lake Havasu, Arizona, where they enjoyed boating, Jeeping, and everything else the desert offered, frequently accompanied by great old friends from The Bay Area and new friends from Havasu.

The last years were tough for Bob. He was a cancer survivor and suffered heart issues, but few could have fought longer or harder or with more courage. He is survived by his wife Charlotte, son Thomas and daughter in law Doris, son Patrick and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his mother Kitty, father Jim, brother Joe, and dozens of true friends that he loved as family. Bob Squeri was a truly special man and will be missed.

Published in Gilroy Dispatch and Morgan Hill Times · November 22, 2023