Robert Ersepke

August 30, 1938 - May 29, 2019

Robert Ersepke was born on August 30, 1938 to Gertrude and Edmund Ersepke in San Francisco. As a boy Robert stood out for his dependability and eagerness to help. A quality which would endure throughout his life. He also had a knack for repair work. At a young age he would assist his parents with work on the house, other projects, and became a young handyman. Robert would not shy away from any task.

He graduated from George Washington High School, was called by the United States Army and was assigned to Europe during the height of the Cold War. There he served in the field as an Artillery Surveyor. He was honorably discharged from the Army and attended San Jose State University. He formed many lifelong friendships while at San Jose State, joined the Flying Club, and eventually became a pilot.

After graduation Robert became a licensed contractor. A tall, powerfully built man, he was known for incredible feats of strength on job sites. In one case, many decades ago, someone saw him carry a refrigerator strapped to his back up many flights of stairs. Robert had an unstoppable work ethic. He went into business for himself, and built by his own hand, a thriving garage door installation company. He would work all day and late into the night and always insisted on doing physical work himself.

Robert had a hunger for life and was successful at so many interests and businesses. He was an owner of the bar Fox and Hound in Cupertino. Robert owned a vineyard in Templeton. He was a commercial and residential landlord. Robert loved hunting for new real estate opportunities and buying and selling real estate. He was always dreaming and searching for a new piece of land someplace new where his horses could roam. He was also a daring motorcyclist unafraid of riding on California freeways. Later in life his favorite vehicle was a huge red Dually truck which he maneuvered on narrow San Francisco streets with no problem.

His passion in life was his animals. He owned many horses, a ranch and a team of dogs. He loved caring for them all and insisted on personally picking up the bushels of hay for the horses.

Robert lived the values celebrated in his favorite genre of movie: The Western. He was our hero. A rugged individualist, daring, charming, courteous, fearless and unflinching in the defense of his friends and family.

Robert lost his loving wife Pat from cancer at a young age.

He is survived by his sisters Evelyn Krimen, Marilyn Ersepke, his brother Arthur Ersepke; cousin Leonard Martin and wife Kathy, his nephews Robert, Gerald, Edmund, Eric, Tommy, Randall, his nieces Elizabeth and Nancy.

And also his beloved close friends: Nancy Burdick, Barry and Rosemarie Mirkin, Nigel Endersby, Keivan Ehsanipour; Grace and Jan Pedersen; Bob and Melinda; Pam Hessey, Eugene Moriguchi; and also Carmen, Francisco, Jocelyn, Paco and Emily who became part of his family and made his last year in life so joyous. And many other friends too numerous to name.

He is also survived by his many horses, his pack of dogs led by a Belgian Malinois named Ziggy ... and a vocal cockatoo named Bill.