Robert Carrasco

Feb. 27, 1932 - Feb. 27, 2022 San Rafael

Robert Carrasco died peacefully at home on February 27, 2022. He had just finished celebrating his 90th birthday.

Robert – known as Bob by most friends and family and as Bobby by his oldest relatives – was born in San Francisco on February 27, 1932 to Felipe and Marie Therese Carrasco, both natives of Mexico. He graduated from Mission High School in 1949 and continued his education at San Francisco State University, where he completed a degree in radio and television broadcasting in 1953. Upon graduation he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served four years, including two years overseas in Japan. By virtue of being one of the few enlisted men with a college degree, he eventually found himself assigned the task of training others – and with it he discovered a love for teaching. After leaving the military he obtained his teaching credential at UC Berkeley. In January of 1961 he began a 29-year tenure of teaching Spanish and ESL at San Rafael High School. Upon his “retirement”, he taught Spanish for another seven years at San Domenico School for Girls.

Bob’s most significant accomplishment as a teacher was meeting a new, fellow teacher at SRHS in 1964: Kathleen Marcone. They married in 1965 and moved to Terra Linda shortly thereafter, where they raised three children, Jacqueline, Michael and Marc. Bob and Kathy had recently marked their 56th wedding anniversary.

Bob had an unflagging fondness for watching reruns of I Love Lucy and the Mary Tyler Moore Show, going to the opera and the symphony, and listening to the news on KCBS radio to see what had changed in the last few hours. But most of all he loved to tell stories. To the delight (and sometimes chagrin) of his family, he would insert new life into old favorites, and he never let a strict adherence to the truth get in the way of improvements.

Bob is survived by his wife, Kathy; his three children: Jacqui Carrasco (David Ford), Michael Carrasco, and Marc Carrasco (Linda Assante); his sister, Alicia Blackmore (Derald); and his five grandchildren, who knew him as ‘Buelo: Rafael Ford, Lee and Jade Carrasco, and Sarah and Maya Carrasco.

A celebration of Bob’s life will be held later this summer. Donations may be made in Bob’s memory to By the Bay Health (17 E. Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Larkspur 94939), the Marin Symphony (4340 Redwood Hwy., San Rafael 94903) or Sisters of the Holy Names (P.O. Box 907, Los Gatos 95031).