Robert John Gonas “Bob”
June 16, 1948 - Aug 11, 2017
Friday evening, the eleventh of August, Bob lost his hard fought battle with cancer. He passed with grace and with his sense of humor still intact. One of his last comments, while doing something difficult for him, was that he would try but it wouldn’t be pretty. At the end he was looking forward to being reunited with his parents and the many friends who had passed before him.
Bob was born on June 16,1948 in Detroit, Michigan and grew up in Grosse Point as the only child of Ruth and Albert Gonas. Growing up he enjoyed many hours on his father’s boat and summers at their cottage on an island in northern Michigan. Winter getaways were in Florida. Post college schooling included musical training and performing in Vienna and a year of dance classes in London.
Upon his return to the United States Bob did visual merchandising in Memphis, Tennessee. Before long he was performing at Theater Memphis as a singer/ dancer/actor. In 1976 after three years of performing he moved to San Francisco. It was there that he met Ken Greer and they began their life together.
They first worked together at the Dandelion gift shop and then opened their own shop, Greer Gonas, in Mill Valley. In 1983 they created Image Three, an event design and production company. They thought they would start small, but their second event was a cocktail party for 1600 with Julia Child as the guest hostess. Bob and Ken went on to do the openings of the San Francisco Ballet and the Symphony as well as the Champagne Supper for the opening of the Opera. Within ten years Image Three Inc. was doing corporate events all over North America and in London, Paris and Rome.
Bob loved to travel and felt at home in every new city. A gourmet cook who loved to eat at the finest restaurants also appreciated simple good food. Loved all kinds of music, though his personal playlist reflected his love of musical theater. Bob’s innate sense of style served him well in his personal appearance as well as in his profession.
The things that set Bob apart, though, were his love of people, his larger than life generosity and his nurturing spirit. People were drawn to him because he truly cared about them. He gathered a group of people around him who share a love for him that is more family than friendship. He will be truly missed.
Bob is survived by his partner and husband of forty years, Kenneth Greer and a family of loving friends.
Memorial plans are pending.