Robert Danielson

Robert “Bob” Danielson passed away on March 25th in San Francisco, after a short illness surrounded by family at the age of 92. Bob grew up in San Pedro and Long Beach California. He was a young man of many talents who loved the ocean, track & field and played the trumpet in the Los Angeles Junior Symphony.

He was a graduate of the University of California Berkley with a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture. While at Cal, Bob met the love of his life, Susanne Whitten who he was married to for 68 years.

Bob went on to be appointed to the faculty of the University of California at Davis where he lectured for 14 years in the Department of Environmental Horticulture teaching Landscape Architecture and Urban Design until 1968. He started his family in Davis where he and Susanne welcomed their three children.

In 1954, Bob opened his business with his classmate and best friend, Leslie Baronian named ‘Baronian & Danielson Landscape Architecture’ and later founded ‘Danielson & Associates’ in San Francisco where he practiced Landscape Architecture for 42 years. He worked on large scale landscapes with the goal of having as many people as possible experience the environments and designs he created.

All of Bob’s projects were located in Northern and Central California. A few of his more acclaimed landscape projects are ‘Lincoln Plaza’ (CalPERS office building) in Sacramento, ‘The Broadmoor’ (a rooftop garden for adult housing) in San Francisco, ‘Shoreline Center’ (marsh restoration and offices) in Mill Valley, ‘Fresno Yosemite International Airport’, ‘The Lakes’ (multi-family housing) in Mountain View and ‘Sacramento International Airport’. Over his career, he estimated he was responsible for planting over 100,000 trees and shrubs for various California landscape developments.

Bob moved his family to San Francisco in 1967 where he continued his career and developed many hobbies that tapped into his creativity and athletic pursuits. He ran in some of the first Bay to Breakers races and went on to run numerous Marathons. Following an injury, he started swimming which became a hobby and sport he pursued for the rest of his life. He was a member of The Dolphin Club where he swam, kayaked and piloted swimmers for 35 years. He enjoyed and treasured the friendships and relationships he built with fellow Dolphins over early morning swims, saunas and chats. He was also an avid swimmer at USF’s Koret Center. He competed at open water swims, Masters World Championships and even travelled to Sweden and Italy to compete internationally over the last 15 years.

After retiring, Bob took up watercolor painting and focused on the Lands End trail as his sole subject and painting motif. He created a retrospective series which he went on to show, featuring ocean views, native plants, trees and flowers. He had an endless appreciation for the Lands End area and his goal through his paintings was to intensify people’s interest in the area and celebrate the wilderness that can be seen and experienced on the trail. Bob took tremendous joy in creating and sharing experiences with his wife, children and grandchildren throughout his life. From coaching them in sports, to sharing his many hobbies, supporting their education, and leading them on adventures in gardening, travelling, kayaking, and even teaching them to drive – Bob was a loving, doting husband, father and grandfather and will be sorely missed by them all.

Bob is lovingly remembered by his wife Susanne, his son Clark (Nancy), his daughter June (Eugene), and son Todd (Lisa); and by his grandchildren Matthew, Rachel, Kevin, Monica, Emiko and Ayumi; and by his extended family and friends in California and overseas.

The family asks that any donations be made in his name to ICA Cristo Rey Academy, Scholarship Investment Program (3625 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110) which he supported and was fond of.