The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Lea Tauriello

Public Servant: Rarely was there a time when Bob Baron was unwilling to give of himself. "When you needed to have something done, you could go to Bob, and he would be there to help you in any way he could," Councilmember Frank Fiscalini said.

Families, friends mourn loss of volunteer Bob Baron

"I am one. I am only one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."

--Edward Everett Hale

By Maggie Benson

Each time during the last 25 years that Bob Baron had his hair cut at Clem and Doyle's, the Willow Glen native would grab a broom afterward and sweep up his clippings--and often those from other patrons. He taught his sons, Brad and Bill, to do the same.

Service, it seems, guided Baron through life. Service to his family, his community, his friends, and even his barber. Rarely was there a time when Bob Baron was unwilling to give of himself.

After he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January, Baron continued to attend San Jose Rotary meetings, call his clients and have lunch with friends at The Sainte Claire Club.

Baron died on April 6 at O'Connor Hospital, the place of his birth 67 years ago. On April 10, nearly 600 people gathered at St. Christopher's Catholic Church to celebrate the life of a man that had touched so many people.

"He was very successful in his business career, a great contributor to his community, and a great father," said Baron's oldest son, Brad, 37.

Baron, a stockbroker for 27 years, arrived at 5 a.m. to work each day and left after the New York markets closed at 1 p.m. He was a voracious volunteer, and his afternoons were booked with board meetings, fundraising projects and community endeavors. Yet each evening he was home by 5 p.m., ready to eat dinner and catch up with his family. On Sundays, the Barons held a family meeting to discuss the week's events.

"He was such a tremendous person in the community," said Baron's youngest son, Bill, 32. "And for me personally, he was a great father."

Bob Baron was a third-generation San Josean and grew up in a house on Bird Avenue. He attended Lincoln High School and San Jose State University, where he received a bachelor's degree in biological sciences and master's degree in education. At SJSU, he became Alpha Tau Omega's first president. He continued to serve the fraternity until his death.

Baron married Ellen Guthrie Pollock in 1955. They would have been married 41 years this June. "They were truly a team," said Don Ryan, a longtime friend. Baron stood up in Ryan's wedding, and the two families were neighbors for years, he said.

Ellie Baron said that she would miss her husband's love, friendship and courage. "I know that he gave me the strength and courage to face all of this," she said.

She described her husband as a man with integrity, a strong work ethic and a positive person. "He always strived to bring out the best in people," she said.

Ryan described the Barons as "wonderful dancers." He said, "They were like ballroom dancers. They were usually the last ones on the dance floor at any function." But Baron's greatest joy, Ryan said, was being 'Popa' to his grandchildren, Caroline, 7 and Pierce, 4.

Baron treated many people with the same regard as he did his family.

"He had a very strong commitment to his community," said San Jose City Councilmember Frank Fiscalini. "Everybody liked Bob. He was a can-do person. When you needed to have something done, you could go to Bob, and he would be there to help you in any way he could."

Baron taught at James Lick High School, where Fiscalini was vice principal, after receiving a teaching credential from SJSU in 1952. The two men remained in contact through the years, working together on a variety of community projects.

Baron was also a member of the Downtown Rotary Club, where he served as president of the local Rotary Endowment. He also was a president of the Gyro Club of San Jose. At the time of his death, he was serving as president of The Sainte Claire Club, a private men's social organization established in 1888.

In 1956, Baron was appointed assistant dean of students at SJSU. Later, he became the university's first director of housing. He changed careers in 1969, when he went to work as a stockbroker for Davis Skaggs & Co. In 1984, he left Skaggs for Sutro & Co. Three years ago, he was joined by son Brad Baron at Sutro & Co.

Baron served on the San Jose Medical Center Foundation's board of directors for 25 years. For the past seven years, he served concurrently on the hospital's board of trustees. In his years of service, Baron helped to raise millions of dollars for the hospital. He also helped establish the Planetree Health Resource Center, a free-access library which enables the general public to educate themselves about their illnesses.

On March 5, Baron received the San Jose Medical Center's Legacy Medal Award for his years of community service to San Jose. "I didn't join or make the contributions expecting to be recognized," said Bob Baron after he received the award, one month before his death.

A pillar of support during his life, Baron continued to support his family in his death.

"He made us all strong and gave us the courage to carry on," Bill said. He recalled his father words: "If I have the strength to die. You have the strength to celebrate my life."

Send donations to either the Robert L. Baron Endowment for Planetree Resource Center, 98 N. 17th St., San Jose 95112, or San Jose State University Spartan Foundation, 1 Washington Square, San Jose, 95192-0062.